Alaska - United States   2025-12-29   Monday   55.55N, -131.08W

Ketchikan Gateway Borough

Ketchikan Gateway Borough

Alaska - United States
2025-12-29

Flood Watch issued December 28 at 11:19PM AKST until December 29 at 3:00PM AKST by NWS Juneau AK

Issue date: 2025-12-29T08:19+00:00

An atmospheric river continues to move into the panhandle tonight. Heavy rain, increasing temperatures, rising snow levels, and snowmelt could lead to minor flooding for ponding on roadways due to snow and other debris around storm drains. Additionally, heavy rain with snowmelt could lead to rapidly rising small streams. Rain accumulations for the remainder of the watch duration could be between 2.5-5.0 inches for the southern panhandle, with around a 10% chance to exceed these numbers. At this time, there is around a 60-80% chance to exceed 5 year 24 hour return intervals on Monday, with heaviest rates currently occurring. Areas near Metlakatla have currently achieved a 2 year return interval for 24 hours. Near Metlakatla and Ketchikan, with these rates, along with increased likelihood of wind gusts greater than 40 mph tonight and recent snowmelt, conditions isolated landslides in steep terrain are possible. For the central panhandle, including Petersburg and Wrangell, rain accumulations between 3.0-5.0 inches. Flooding in roadways from poor drainage and clogged storm drains is currently occurring in Petersburg. * WHAT...Flooding caused by rain and snowmelt continues to be possible. * WHERE...The following areas, Prince of Wales, Southern Inner Channels and Central Inner Channels. This includes the cities of Petersburg, Kake, Port Alexander, Craig, Klawock, Hydaburg, Coffman Cove, Thorne Bay, Wrangell, Ketchikan, And Metlakatla. * WHEN...Through Monday afternoon. * IMPACTS...Excessive runoff combined with snowmelt may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, other low-lying areas and flood-prone locations. Ponding on roadways due to snow, ice, and other debris clogging storm drains is possible. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - National Weather Service Meteorologists are forecasting heavy rainfall on a primed snowpack, which may lead to increased runoff and landslides in prone areas. Heavy rain is currently falling on the existing snowpack as well as expected accumulating snow leading to increased runoff from high freezing levels. Stream flows in small streams have begun to increase quickly but is currently not expected to exceed bankfull conditions at this time. Rain accumulations after transitioning from snow to rain could be between 2.5-5.0 inches for the southern panhandle, and 1.5-3.0 inches for the central panhandle.