{"url_path":"/weather/alerts/2.49.0.1.840.0.3137337229a4279ebbc2850565a41107f14c43e8.001.1","section_key":"alert","section_title":"Hydrologic Outlook issued September 18 at 4:14PM AKDT by NWS Anchorage AK","topic":"weather","document":{"doc_type":"alert","doc_date":"2026-09-18","source_url":"https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn%3Aoid%3A2.49.0.1.840.0.3137337229a4279ebbc2850565a41107f14c43e8.001.1","accession_number":null,"cik":null,"ticker":null,"issuer_name":null,"edgar_url":null,"primary_entity_key":null,"primary_entity_name":"NWS Anchorage AK"},"word_count":512,"has_tables":false,"body_markdown":"# Hydrologic Outlook: Hydrologic Outlook issued September 18 at 4:14PM AKDT by NWS Anchorage AK\n\n**Severity:** Unknown\n**Certainty:** Possible\n**Urgency:** Future\n**Areas:** Interior Kuskokwim Delta\n**Issued by:** NWS Anchorage AK\n**Sent:** 2026-09-18T16:14:00-08:00\n**Effective:** 2026-09-18T16:14:00-08:00\n**Expires:** 2026-09-19T21:00:00-08:00\n\n## Description\nESFAFC\n\nHigh water in the Kuskokwim River region will continue over the next\nfew days. Conditions are expected to become favorable for water\nlevels to gradually recede over the weekend and into the middle of\nnext week.\n\nLocations:\n\n* Communities across the lower Kuskokwim River and its tributaries,\nincluding, but not limited to: Kwethluk, Bethel, Oscarville,\nNapaskiak, Napkiak, Kasigluk, Nunapitchuk, and Atmauluak.\n\nHydrologic Concerns:\n\n* High water in the Kuskokwim and other area rivers (e.g. Kwethluk\nRiver, Johnson River, etc) may inundate low-lying areas in the\naforementioned communities, nearby fish camps, and other lowlands.\n\nDetails/Analysis [What's causing this?]:\n\n* Rainfall: The Kuskokwim River basin, from the mouth at Kuskokwim\nBay upstream to the headwaters in the Alaska Range and Kilbuck\nMountains, has received approximately 150 to 200 percent of normal\nrainfall this summer (June to August). These rains have continued\ninto September, with nearly the entire basin near or exceeding 200\npercent of rainfall, with much of that rainfall occurring over the\nlast few days.\n\n* Persistent High Water: This heavy rainfall has resulted in\nanomalously high water levels being routed down from the Upper\nKuskokwim to the Lower Kuskokwim. The river gages at McGrath and\nCrooked Creek are near or exceeding record levels for this time of\nyear. The water levels at these stations have crested in the last\nweek, suggesting that the water inflow to the lower Kuskokwim\nCommunities may be on the decrease soon.\n\n* Compounding Factors: In addition to the recent rainfall and\nelevated river levels, strong coastal winds brought several feet of\nsurge to the coast, causing elevated water levels near the mouth of\nthe Kuskokwim River. This effectively reduces the slope of the\nriver, slowing drainage and resulting in water becoming backed up.\n\n* Forecast Thoughts: A shift in the weather pattern will bring\nconditions favorable for water levels to decrease. Northerly winds\nwill increase Saturday and continue into early next week to 20 to\n30 kt, with higher gusts possible at times, and bring cooler and\ndrier air to the region. Precipitation will be sparse and generally\nlight. Additionally, tidal models indicate a slight negative surge\nalong the coast due to the multi-day period of strong northerly\nwinds, potentially assisting drainage of water from the lower\nKuskokwim River.\n\nLook Ahead:\n\n* After a period of weather conditions favorable for receding water,\nconfidence is growing that another strong Bering Sea storm will\naffect western Alaska late next week (Sept 23-26). A return to\nsoutherly winds and higher coastal water in conjunction to heavy\nrainfall may exacerbate river conditions once again, particularly\non the smaller tributaries such as the Kwethluk and Johnson Rivers.\nHowever, details remain uncertain at this time as confidence is low\nin storm track and intensity. Fortunately, natural tidal cycles in\nBethel and the rest of the lower Kuskokwim favor lower tides than\nusual for this timeframe which may offset any additional water or\nsurge."}