Alaska Windstorms and Flooding
Butte Flooding
It has been two weeks since wind, rain, and flooding devastated Southcentral Alaska. While the weather has calmed down for now, residents in Butte are worried about what the future holds now that their once welcome neighbor has become a menacing threat. more...
Obama Issues Disaster Declaration for Alaska Storms
President Barack Obama has issued a disaster declaration for large parts of Alaska affected by storms, winds, flooding and landslides during the last half of September. The White House in a release Tuesday announced the declaration, which allows federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. Officials say federal funding is available to the state, local governments and some nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of damaged facilities. The declaration covers the Alaska Gateway (Tok) and Chugach rural education attendance areas, and the Denali, Kenai Peninsula and Matanuska-Susitna boroughs. Kenneth Suiso has been appointed the federal coordinating officer. more...
Fire Department Says There Are Still High Water Dangers
Water ways have become increasingly dangerous and the Anchorage Fire Department is urging people to take caution. Fast moving waters have moved huge trees and boulders in the Eagle River, causing changes to the banks. more...
Borough says Talkeetna Water Safe to Drink
A spokesperson for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough says water in Talkeetna has been pronounced safe to drink. Public affairs director Patty Sullivan says water tests on the Talkeetna public water system came back with negative results for e.coli and total coliform. Sullivan says by email that the test was for the public water system only and not for private wells. Talkeetna was among southcentral Alaska towns hit hard by floodwater last week. The community of nearly 900 is 115 miles north of Anchorage. The community is at the confluence of the Susitna, Talkeetna and Chulitna rivers. more...
Wasilla Flash Flood Victims Clean Up and Dry Out
Nearly one week after an unexpected flash flood swept through a Wasilla neighborhood on Marilyn Circle, residents are trying to grasp the cost of clean-up and repairs. No one on the street has flood insurance because they say they had no idea that their homes were built in a flood zone. more...
Kenai River Crests in Soldotna
Emergency Management Officials in Kenai Borough said Tuesday night that the flooded Kenai River had finally crested -- as far south as Soldotna -- but they warned residents not to become complacent. more...
Willow Neighbors Help Flood Recovery
In the wake of the Willow flood waters you can find stories of neighbors helping neighbors. more...
AK Railroad Freight Service Resumed, Damage nears $2M
The Alaska Railroad freight service between Anchorage and Fairbanks resumed Tuesday afternoon following the recent string of destructive Alaska flooding. Alaska Railroad officials said freight service resumed around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday and weather-related damage costs are approaching $2 million. Crews repaired a 500-foot stretch of track that hindered operations washed out by flooding near Milepost 261 about 35 miles north of Talkeetna. Crews have focused on a 70-mile stretch of rail corridor between Willow and Gold Creek since Friday. The Associated Press reported that due washout, trains could not carry petroleum from the North Pole refinery, or coal from the mines in Healy. Only passenger service weekend service is scheduled this time of year and the railroad plans to resume service Saturday as scheduled. The rail corridor between Anchorage, Seward, and Whittier remains open and minor washouts have been fixed in the Seward area. more...
Kenai Borough Braces for Flood Crest On Tuesday
In the Kenai Peninsula Borough Monda night, floodwaters were still rising as people braced for the worst flooding in 6 years. more...
State, City Leaders Discuss Future Emergency Response Efforts
Municipality of Anchorage and state leaders want to make the best of what's been a stormy September. more...
Alaska Railroad: Damage, Lost Revenue, May Exceed $1M Due to Flooding
An Alaska Railroad spokeswoman says washouts of track and lost revenue likely will cost the line more than $1 million. But Stephenie Wheeler says the state-owned railroad is progressing faster than projected repairing damaged track from a major washout north of Talkeetna. About 500 feet of mainline track were left dangling Saturday near Gold Creek. Wheeler says crews have been working round the clock to make repairs and the main line could open as early as Tuesday, a day earlier than projected. The area is in a 70-mile stretch of rail corridor between Willow and Gold Creek where high water from heavy rain has affected track and several bridges. Trains between Anchorage and Fairbanks have not operated since Wednesday. more...
Alaska Railroad Repairing Flood Damage: Costs Expected to be "Substantial"
Alaska Railroad officials said Sunday night that track repair crews continue working day and night to repair a major washout that has left 500 feet of the mainline track dangling just south of Gold Creek, about 35 miles north of Talkeetna. Officials say once the washout is repaired train traffic can resume north of Wasilla. Crews estimate repair will be completed by Wednesday. more...
Flooding Concerns Still Rising For Mat Su Valley Residents
Flooding continued to be an issue across the Mat Su Valley Sunday. The borough warned that road shoulders are very soft due to saturated ground. more...
Kenai Peninsula Residents Advised to Boil Water
The Department of Environmental Conservation is advising Kenai Peninsula property owners near flooding streams and rivers to boil their water used for drinking, cooking, hand washing or dish washing. more...
Parks Highway Lane Closes Due to Flooding
Record high water levels along the Nenana River caused a one-lane closure on the Parks Highway at mile 240. more...
Flood Warnings Remain In Effect
Multiple flood warnings remain in effect as drainages around the state overflow their rivers. Some flood warnings are expected to end Sunday, while some rivers have not yet crested. more...
Mat Su Borough Advises Everyone in Talkeetna To Boil Tap Drinking Water
In Talkeetna officials are still concerned about drinking water. more...
DOT Tries To Save Glenn Highway At Fast Moving Kings River
The Mat Su Borough said Saturday many rivers have receded some but are still flowing at higher levels than normal which is creating an issue at river crossings. more...
Tanana River Flood Warning Extended
The National Weather Service has extended the flood warning for sections of the Tanana River into Sunday. more...
MatSu Flooding Update
The MatSu Borough Emergency Operations Center issued this summary earlier today. Check with KTUU.com and Channel 2 News for the latest. more...
Wasilla Creek Flood Threat
MatSu Borough Emergency Manager Casey Cook talks about flooding concerns Friday night along Wasilla Creek, near Trunk Road. more...
Talkeetna Flood Update
Adam Pinsker with an update about flood conditions in Talkeetna Friday night. more...
Emergency Crews Call Butte Flooding Worst in 40 Years
Overnight flooding in Butte has created a flooding situation the likes of which the town hasn't seen in more than 40 years, according to Butte Fire Department officials. more...
Governor Declares Disaster As Southcentral Flooding Continues
Talkeetna officials called for evacuations in the face of major flooding Friday, the most serious crisis in a day that saw the city of Seward recovering from Thursday flooding, Matanuska River waters rising in Butte and Gov. Sean Parnell declaring a disaster in much of Southcentral Alaska. more...
Alaska Floods: All Talkeetna Residents Requested to Evacuate
Residents of Talkeetna are being asked to evacuate the town after its dike system against heavy flooding failed Friday, according to local firefighters. The evacuation is now voluntary, although an initial order was mandatory. more...
Mat-Su Schools Open and Road Closures Friday Morning
All MSBSD schools are open Friday, Sep. 21. There is a full list of road closures and pupil transportation cancellations. more...
Seward Reports Evacuations, Outages, Road Closures Thursday
Seward officials reported continuing evacuations, power outages and road closures Thursday, in the wake of widespread flooding due to heavy rains that caused the city to declare a state of emergency Wednesday. more...
MatSu Evacuation Request Near Wasilla Creek
Mat Su Borough Emergency Services issued this update Wednesday night: 6:50 p.m. UPDATE. more...
Alaska River Forecast Center Says Flooding in Southcentral Alaska Hard to Predict
Hydrologists at the Alaska River Forecast Center say, from the satellite images, it looks like Southcentral Alaska has a big bull’s eye painted on it. more...
State Officials Coordinating Response to Southcentral Flooding
Widespread flooding across Southcentral Alaska Thursday brought a disaster declaration from the Mat-Su Borough and the activation of the state’s emergency operations center, as well as evacuations in Willow and Seward, according to city and state officials. more...
Mat-Su Floods, Road Closures: 10 People Rescued in Wasilla
Heavy rain and strong winds continued to hit the Mat-Su Borough prompting many flood advisories and road closures, including an incident where 10 people were rescued in Wasilla early Thursday morning. more...
City of Seward Declares Emergency Due to Flooding
The city of Seward has declared a state of emergency Wednesday, in response to widespread flooding in the area. more...
Mat-Su Borough Suggests Evacuations Along Willow Creek: Shelter Opened
Update: The Red Cross is opening a shelter at the Willow Community Center for residents who have evacuated their homes due to high water. more...
Alaska Windstorm Damages Construction Site on JBER and Anchorage Bowl
On Wednesday morning, another Alaska windstorm hit the Anchorage bowl with reported damage on the Hillside and a construction site on the Joint Base Elemendorf-Richardson. Heavy winds caused major damage at a construction site located on JBER in what eye-witnesses are referring to as a "mini-tornado." JBER officials say very strong, fast winds ripped out two wooden structures used for guards to stand in, sending them flying through the air knocking over a chain link fence. The guard shacks damaged the car of a construction worker nearby. Winds were also strong enough on JBER to knock over a cargo truck, leaving it on its side. No injuries have been reported, according to JBER officials. U.S. Army Alaska spokesperson Charles Canterbury said a “strong channeled wind event” occurred before 11 a.m. but did not describe the event as a tornado. There were numerous reports of power outages and downed trees Wednesday morning. Power companies in the Anchorage area and Valley area had multiple crews working to restore power caused by downed trees and the wind storm. To Report a Power Outage: Chugach Electric: 762-7888 and outside Anchorage, toll-free at 800-478-7494 MEA: 746-7697 for Mat-Su and 696-7697 for Eagle River ML&P: 279-767 To share your photos of wind storm, click here. Email Jason Lamb KTUU's Neil Torquiano contributed to this story. This is a developing story. Please check KTUU.com and the Channel 2 newscasts for updates. more...
Anchorage Flights Diverted Due to Weather
At least 20 passenger and cargo flights diverted while en route to Anchorage Wednesday due to weather. more...
Flood, High Wind Warnings Reach Wednesday Peak
A series of flood and high wind warnings throughout Southcentral Alaska reached their peak Wednesday, with meteorologists expecting conditions to lighten by the end of the week. more...
Photos: Veterans' Flag Pole Memorial at the Downtown Park Strip
A group of honorable U.S. Veterans erected a temporary flag pole to stand place at the Veterans Memorial downtown until the city installs a new one in the spring. A wind storm that swept across Southcentral Alaska cause damage all across the Anchorage area. One of the more notable pieces of damage was the Veterans' Flag Pole Memorial on the Delaney Park Strip, which fell in the late hours of the night. more...
High Wind Warning Now In Effect
The National Weather Service has moved-up the start time of the high wind warning for the Anchorage area. more...
Southcentral High Wind Warning Moves to Wednesday
A high wind warning Tuesday for Southcentral Alaska from the National Weather Service updated a high wind watch issued Monday, with conditions now expected to peak on Wednesday. A flood warning has also been issued for parts of Prince William Sound, with other areas of the sound and the Susitna Valley under a flood watch. more...
Tanacross Recovering After Weekend Windstorm
A Tanacross woman says locals are working to clear downed trees, as well as restore power, after the town near Tok was hit by a strong windstorm over the weekend. Colleen Denny says the winds hit Tanacross at about 7:30 p.m. Sunday, peaking overnight. She says many homes in the area lost parts of their roofing materials, while power was knocked out to the town. Alaska State Troopers who responded to the area late Sunday said no injuries were reported after the storm, but it caused power lines and trees to fall on houses in both Tok and Tanacross. “AST arrived on the scene and discovered that there were numerous trees down blocking access to roads,” troopers wrote in a Monday dispatch. “Multiple structures and homes in the area were damaged.” Denny says volunteers and workers arrived in town from Tok Monday to help clear “hundreds” of trees downed by wind, which also bowed many other trees in the area. “That’s all we heard yesterday -- chainsaws,” Denny said. She says water service in Tanacross wasn’t restored until Tuesday. The local school has been busing students to Tok pending restoration of both water and power, after damage Denny's grandfather described as similar to that from a tornado. While troopers and utilities met with residents before the storm, Denny credits the local response with helping people get through the experience. "The village comes together at a point, at a time like this," Denny said. more...
Tuesday High Wind Watch Latest in Southcentral's Weather Woes
The National Weather Service has issued a high wind watch for Anchorage and areas of Turnagain Arm effective late Tuesday evening through Wednesday afternoon, as storm conditions continue to prevail in the region. more...
Rain Lets Up Briefly but Flooding Concerns Still Rising
The latest storm may have passed but, we may not be in the clear. While most of Anchorage escaped major damage this weekend other places in the South Central did not. more...
Wind Storm Knocks Out Power in Healy
Residents of Healy say they were without power for six hours Sunday as heavy winds hit the Parks Highway community north of Denali National Park. more...
Southcentral Alaska Rains Result in Flood Warnings
The National Weather Service has issued flood warnings in several locations throughout Southcentral Alaska. more...
Rain Overpowers Wind in Anchorage Area
Going into this storm much of the concern was on the wind, but now it's moved to the rain and rising waters around Anchorage. more...
Power Outage Updates
Channel 2 News is monitoring the storm and power outage situation. Check here for updates: more...
Chugach Power Outage Map, Information, and Report an Outage
Outage information on the map is updated multiple times per hour. The numbers on the markers indicate the number of outages at the location. Hover over individual outage markers to display the date/time of the outage. more...
Anchorage Braces for New, Major Windstorm
For Anchorage-area residents, it is -- as Yogi Berra once said -- Deja Vu all over again. more...
Disaster Organizations Prepare for Windstorm
Just ten days ago 100 MPH winds whipped through parts of Anchorage causing millions of dollars in damage and leaving some people without power for several days. more...
Crews Scramble To Prepare For Second Wind Storm
As the weekend windstorm approaches, the roar of chainsaws was actually a comforting sound to many today. It meant trees damaged by last week's storm were coming down by choice and not by the wind. more...
Downed Trees Still Pose Problems as New Storm Looms
For more than two decades, Cherie Rains admired the twin cottonwood trees that stood in the backyard of her Anchorage home. more...
Electric Utilities Report Nearly All Power Restored After Windstorm
Municipal Light and Power, Chugach Electric and the Matanuska Electric Association report that virtually all their customers have had power restored following last weeks massive windstorm. more...
State Sends Help Without Official Emergency Declaration
The State of Alaska is teaming up with Anchorage officials to recover from the devastation of Tuesday's massive windstorm. While an official emergency declaration hasn't yet been issued, the state is providing its largest city with assets to aid with the cleanup. more...
Business Back in the Game Following Storm Power Outage
Knocking down all the pins is great for bowlers. Knocking out all the power, however, doesn't make for quite as great a game. That's what happened just after midnight Tuesday at Center Bowl on Minnesota Drive. more...
Anchorage City Hall Assesses Wind Storm Damage for Disaster Aid
City officials are assessing and evaluating the damage from Tuesday's big wind storm to decide whether or not to make an emergency declaration. more...
Storm Puts Extra Stress on Food Banks
The phones were ringing off the hook at Alaska's 2-1-1 answering service. more...
Anchorage Sees Unprecended 911 Call Volume During Windstorm
Anchorage 911 dispatchers received an unprecedented number of calls on Tuesday, as a powerful windstorm that evening struck Southcentral Alaska and knocked out power to homes across the region. more...
Electricity a Matter of Staying Alive for One Anchorage Resident
Crews from the three main electric utilities are working around the clock, but customers are low on patience. Losing electricity could mean spoiled groceries in the fridge, no lights, and cooking on a stove may not be an option. But for one woman, having power is a matter of staying alive. more...
Frustrations Mount as Power Outages Continue
Frustrations continue to mount more than 36 hours after a massive wind storm hit the Anchorage area. more...
Hundreds of Travelers finally Return Home After Storm Pushes Them Away
While many people are still cleaning up from the havoc of the storm some haven't even begun... more...
Wood Lots Filling Up With Windstorm Debris
Downed trees and broken branches from Tuesday's strong windstorm are still scattered across Southcentral, and many Alaskans are taking the debris to wood lots. The Anchorage Wood Lot had an emergency opening on Wednesday since so many people needed a place to drop off storm debris. On Thursday, many drivers waited in line to bring in truckloads of storm remnants. For Shelly Laws, it was the first of a few trips to the lot as she cleared her yard from what was left of her ruined trees. "I'm figuring everyone's doing the same thing or a lot of people are. I'm just going to have to be patient," she said. Deanna McCreary was helping a friend who had several trees knocked onto her house. "She's just got so much debris and branches and leaves. The big pieces of wood she can put out for firewood but these are the branches," McCreary said. "This is the only thing that you can do with it right now." more...
Neighbors Lend Helping Hand to Clear Storm Debris
Throughout the day Wednesday, East Anchorage residents worked to clear the debris from an overnight storm that tore down trees and threw debris over the streets. more...
Thousands Left Without Power after Alaska Windstorm
Thousands of Anchorage and surrounding area residents remain without power Thursday morning - more than a day after the destructive Alaska windstorm that hit South Central Tuesday night. more...
ASD and UAA Open after Windstorm Closure
Update: Classes are back in session for the Anchorage School District and University of Alaska Anchorage for Thursday, September 6, according to spokespersons who confirmed with KTUU Channel 2 news. ASD said Chester Valley Elementary School will operate under a delayed start and will begin at 11 a.m. All other ASD schools are open and operating a normal schedule. "We know that some families are still without power. It is up to each family to decide what is best for them and whether their child can attend school." Heidi Embley, ASD spokesperson said. "Please call your child's school to let the office know if you choose to keep your child home." Grace Christian School confirmed that its school is closed Thursday, Sept. 6. Original: Anchorage School District: officials plan to make a determination by 5:30 a.m. about whether classes will resume Thursday at Anchorage public schools. University of Alaska/Anchorage: a spokesperson says university officials plan on deciding by 5:00 a.m. about whether classes will resume Thursday at UAA. Power outages forced the cancellation of classes Wednesday at ASD schools and on the UAA campus. more...
Anchorage Winds Claim Well-Known Veterans Flagpole
The strong winds Anchorage experienced Tuesday night took down a Sitka Spruce flagpole that had been standing for decades in downtown Anchorage as part of the veterans memorial. more...
Southcentral Alaska Recovers from Major Windstorm
A major windstorm that pounded parts of Anchorage and communities along Turnagain Arm cut power to tens of thousands of people, as well as closing schools, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and many state offices. more...
Storm Victims Shouldn't Wait to File Claims
There may be a lot on your mind after a severe storm, but keeping track of your losses should not slip between the cracks. more...
Utility Companies Working Hard To Restore Power After Destructive Windstorm
Strong winds that whipped through Southcentral Alaska left many Anchorage residents cleaning up the mess Mother Nature left behind. Wednesday night, thousands of homes were without power. Utility companies say they are making a steady effort to restore electricity as fast as they can. Nearly all 30,000 Municipal Light and Power customers lost service, after wind gusts and fallen trees damaged all three of its major transmission lines. As of Wednesday evening, ML&P said the majority of its customers had power back but there are a few known outages that crews are responding to. "We've had folks that have been with ML&P for 20 years and no one can remember anything like this," said Ronnie Dent with ML&P. "it has been described as a once-in-a-lifetime type of storm." As of 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Chugach estimates 5,000 customers are still without power and Matanuska Electric Association says about 3,000 of its customers are waiting for service to be restored. Earlier Wednesday, a Chugach utility crew was working at a mobile home park in Muldoon that was hit hard by the storm. Multiple Cottonwood trees were ripped from the ground before crashing into three power poles. Crews were on site untangling the mess and trying to restore power. It was just one of many similar situations all across Anchorage. "It seems like it was all over Chugach's service territory last night, it wasn't isolated to any one spot. We had damage way down in south Anchorage, over in the Sand Lake area, and here in Muldoon on the east side of town," said Bill Bernier, director of Chugach substations and line operations. All utility companies ask customers to be careful around any downed power lines and to report them immediately. ML&P's power outage hotline is 279-7671. Chugach can be reached at 563-7366 while MEA customers can report outages or fallen lines at 746-7697 for the Mat-Su Valley or 696-7697 for Eagle River. more...
Storm Flips Planes at Campbell Lake and Lake Hood
Severe winds strong enough they flipped planes in Anchorage. At Campbell Lake a float plane turned over and was pulled into the middle of the lake during the storm. Neighbors say they say people in kayaks out anchoring the plane so it wouldn't float further away. more...
Windstorm Knocks Out Power In Anchorage Area
Update: Power companies have multiple crews working to restore power Wednesday morning in Anchorage and surrounding areas caused by the wind storm. The Anchorage School District, Grace Christian, and UAA campuses in Anchorage, Eagle River-Chugiak, and JBER have canceled due to the power outages. The Governor's office has announced that all "non-essential" state employees do not report to work. Around 12:30 p.m., Chugach Electric spokesperson Sarah Wiggers said 6 to 9-thousand customers were without power and said power should be restored by Wednesday evening. Wiggers said there are some isolated pockets without power and might take longer to restore depending on how long it takes to clear debris. Chugach Electric said it has three major feeders to fix on the Hillside and Debarr areas early afternoon. Chugach said it customers can now call and report locations that need repairs, so crews can spot and fix. At 6:30 a.m., Chugach Electric said approximately 22,000 customers are without service. Multiple crew are "road hunting" down trees and lines. Customers were asked to only call Chugach Electric if they see down lines that are a hazard earlier Wednesday morning. Sarah Wiggers, with Chugach Electric, said the night darkness was making it hard for crews to located lines and "fingers crossed hoping noon will look a lot better for us." more...
Anchorage Windstorm Threatens to Knock Over Trees, Cause Blackouts
High winds predicted to reach 100 mph by the National Weather Service at locations on the upper Hillside reached Anchorage Tuesday, with similar conditions forecasted for areas of Turnagain Arm and Seward. more...
National Weather Service Expands High Wind Warning
The National Weather Service expanded a high wind warning for Tuesday afternoon and evening to include Whittier, Seward, Girdwood and Moose Pass, with areas of Anchorage and Turnagain Arm possibly facing winds as fast as 100 mph. more...
High Wind Warning Issued for Anchorage, Turnagain Arm
The National Weather Service issued a high wind warning for Anchorage and Turnagain Arm, with gusts of up to 90 mph projected this week as a major low-pressure system approaches Western Alaska. more...
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