Coastal flood advisory covers five Y-K Delta villages through Tuesday night

A rapidly deepening low west of the Pribilof Islands threatens coastal flooding, erosion and damaging winds across the Y-K Delta. The National Weather Service in Anchorage has issued a Coastal Flood Advisory until 10 p.m. Tuesday for Kwigillingok, Kongiganak, Kipnuk, Toksook Bay and Tununak, where water is forecast 1.5 to 4.0 feet above the normal highest tide line. The advisory replaces a High Surf Advisory. An Aug. 28 high surf advisory for Kipnuk, Kwigillingok, Kongiganak and Quinhagak had forecast water only 1 to 2 feet above normal.

South winds of 35 to 45 mph with gusts to 60 mph are expected across the Kuskokwim Delta Coast, Nunivak Island and inland to Bethel under a Wind Advisory in effect until 1 a.m. Wednesday. "Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects and power outages may result," the office said. Travel may be difficult, and residents should secure outdoor objects.

NWS Fairbanks has issued High Wind Warnings for the Yukon Delta Coast from 4 a.m. Tuesday to 4 a.m. Wednesday, with gusts to 60 mph near Hooper Bay and Chevak, and for St. Lawrence Island until 10 p.m. Tuesday. A High Surf Advisory there forecasts water 2 to 4 feet above the mean high tide line, highest at Scammon Bay, where water may reach the boat launch, and at Hooper Bay.

Wind Advisories also cover the Central Interior. Southwest gusts of 30 to 40 mph are expected around Lake Minchumina from 10 p.m. Tuesday to 10 p.m. Wednesday, and across the Fairbanks area from 4 a.m. Wednesday to 4 a.m. Thursday.

The low was deepening to 980 to 985 millibars as it tracked toward the Y-K Delta and Norton Sound, with moderate to heavy rainfall compounding coastal impacts. Conditions should improve Wednesday morning as the low exits.

The villages have seen repeated advisories this season. Hydrologic outlooks named 10 Kuskokwim Delta communities, and earlier advisories covered Kipnuk, Kwigillingok, Kongiganak and Quinhagak. Kipnuk is still rebuilding from Ex-Typhoon Halong. The USDA Northwest Climate Hub describes such storms as part of a climate change-driven trend that has forced relocation decisions in places like Newtok. Surge in the low-lying delta can reach 23 miles inland.