Unseasonably Warm Temperatures Cause Flooding in Kotzebue

Mid winter in the tundra above Kotzebue.

Weather in the Northwest Alaska region has been abnormal this winter. The National Weather Service began posting coastal flood warnings for Kotzebue and some of the outlying villages yesterday. Reports of flooding in Deering and other villages are making us wonder about what's next for this region during one of the wackiest winters on record?

Yesterday the city of Kotzebue was overwrought with the affects of climate change. Due to the increased snow level and warmer temperatures this winter, flooding caused residents to be evacuated in areas along Shore Avenue. Normally the Kotzebue Sound is quiet beneath four to five feet of ice by late winter. Tides moving in and out go unnoticed under this heavy arctic barrier. But yesterday, the mention of tidal waters rising and causing damage was enough to make residents scratch their heads about the effects of climate change in this Eskimo village of roughly 3,000 residents.

Earlier this week one in a series of blizzards blew off the frozen ocean from the west, carrying with it the warmest air we've had since early October. Overflow water began to appear on the ice while residents traded their thick parkas and ski pants for thinner-insulated jackets. Snow pants were cast aside in favor of jeans and other lightweight pants. Happy for the break between blizzards and joyful over the warmer temperatures, snow machines raced over the thick snow patches and kids played in snow drifts ten feet high and more. We watched the overflow melt increase on top of the frozen sound.

NANA Building in Kotzebue before winter.

And then it happened. The high tide rushed into town and carried with it overflow and chunks of ice. Low lying areas along Front Street (also known as Shore Avenue) and other parts of the city became bogged down with melted snow. Ice mixed with rain fell from the sky creating slush of the snow drifts. Residents living near the NANA Regional Corporation building were evacuated and traffic along the newly improved roadway ceased. City and borough employees were busy in emergency meetings and executing plans to prevent damage to life and property.

Fears of flood water damage to the airstrip were tossed around among residents as Alaska Airlines planes and village carriers finally made their way into town. Winter blizzards carrying heavy amounts of snow and fierce arctic winds had scrambled the flight schedules for more than a week. The Ralph Wien Memorial Airport serves as a vital link to the Outside and to villagers seeking services in Kotzebue and beyond. The Kotzebue airport is a vital link for mail and supplies to the region. This Eskimo Village would be cut off without the airport. In an effort to restock the stores, bring vital mail to residents, and provide access to village residents, Alaska, Era Alaska, Northern Air Cargo, Bering Air and other carriers have stepped up deliveries in an effort to restore normalcy to the region.

While areas of the village were experiencing an abundance of water, others went without. In the section of town between the lagoon and Third, residents went without water for several hours yesterday before finally being restored sometime last night. A large vehicle struck a fire hydrant causing a rupture in the water line, severing service to residents. During the winter, hydrants are covered with insulated boxes to prevent freezing. With the line exposed, the potential to lose that section of the line increased with each passing hour.

Kotzebue Public Works line crews dug up the line buried in permafrost in order to repair it. A constant flow of liquid must be maintained in water and sewer lines to prevent destruction by the earth's subzero temperatures. The line crew's efforts based on experience and expertise should be commended.

Construction of the new hotel before freeze up.

With no water in the apartment, Rick and I braved the descending temperatures and fierce winds to dine at Bayside Restaurant last night. Prevented from parking along Shore Avenue due to flooding, we parked the vehicle at the Nullugvik Hotel and walked the remaining distance to the restaurant. While the sun descended in the west, our bodies were aided by strong arctic winds  in excess of 30 miles per hour towards the restaurant. We were fully prepared for the harsh temperatures. The wolverine ruff of my parkie drooped over my eyebrows as I peered down the vacant street.

Yes! Bayside and Empress restaurants remained open. They had not been evacuated. We walked backwards for a short distance attempting to protect the core of our bodies from the piercing wind coming off the Kotzebue Sound. Once inside the restaurant, we sat in a booth with a large window out to the street for a meal of Korean dumpling soup and a steak sandwich with fries.

The light returns to the sky again this morning rising slightly earlier than yesterday. Today the sun will be in the sky for more than nine hours. The coastal flood warning remains in effect until noon today. Water runs through the repaired line and into the homes of residents between the frozen lagoon and Third Street.  The fierce arctic winds have subsided and temperatures register at -11, according to Accuweather.com.

The sound of a prop plane disturbs the early morning quiet as I stare out the living room window at the twenty foot snow drift and wonder whether climate change is affecting life in this remote corner of the world. It's time to make breakfast and enjoy the beauty of this rapidly changing land.