North Slope rivers expected to rise as snowmelt, rain combine

Rivers across the North Slope and Brooks Range are expected to rise this weekend into early next week as warm temperatures, snowmelt, and rain feed runoff at once, the National Weather Service Fairbanks warned in a hydrologic outlook Friday.

Forecasters expect a half-inch to an inch of rain from Sunday night into Wednesday, paired with above-freezing overnight temperatures in the foothills and mountains where most of the remaining snowpack sits — exactly where rain and warmth will be heaviest. As that water moves through the river systems, it brings a flood risk across the Central Brooks Range, Arctic Plains, and Beaufort coast.

One factor cuts in the region's favor. Most ice has already cleared the larger rivers, leaving more room to carry the surge — unlike last year's late breakup, when meltwater poured into channels still choked with ice.

Tanana Chiefs Conference emergency management coordinator Roxanne Sourapas urged households not to wait. "With breakup season in full swing, preparation is just as important as response," she said, advising residents to finish an emergency kit with food, water, medications, and important documents.