Winter in Unalaska by Sam Zmolek
Your voice in the Aleutians.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
The KUCB Newsroom provides newscasts Monday through Thursday at noon and 5 PM on KUCB Radio. You can find many of our local news stories here.

Excessive rain triggers flood warning in Unalaska

Lauren Adams
/
KUCB
The National Weather Service warning tells residents to expect six inches of rain in the next 36-48 hours, with the possibility of more flooding and mudslides.

Excessive rain in Unalaska has led to a flood warning, and the city has closed several roads and public buildings.

The National Weather Service said Tuesday between 3 to 3.5 inches of rain had already fallen in the last 24 hours and that up to 5.5 inches were possible.

Mechele Hester is the senior weather supervisor at the airport in Dutch Harbor. And she says the one-day total precipitation — 3.76 inches as of 10 a.m. Tuesday — ranks in the top-10 highest on record.

“It's unusual for sure. To have this many days and, looking at the forecast, for it to be continuing on? It's definitely unusual,” Hester said.

While much of the state is experiencing sub-zero temperatures, Unalaska is unseasonably warm, with mercury levels hovering in the mid-40s over the past week.

Heavy fog and low visibility has the airport essentially socked in. Hester said only two planes have made it in over the past six days.

Two high pressure systems are squeezing warm air from the Pacific Ocean northwards over parts of the Aleutians, funneling warm air across parts of the chain.

The City of Unalaska issued a Category 2 travel advisory Tuesday morning. Ballyhoo Road and Summer Bay Road are closed, and the advisory warns residents to drive only when necessary. The roads crew has also removed manhole covers to help with drainage.

The warning tells residents to expect six inches of rain in the next 36-48 hours, with the possibility of more flooding and mudslides.

The flood warning remains in effect until midday Friday.

Theo Greenly reports from the Aleutians as a Report for America corps member. He got his start in public radio at KCRW in Santa Monica, California, and has produced radio stories and podcasts for stations around the country.
Related Content