An unseasonable rain event brought high rainfall and led to high water, especially around noon on August 3rd.
"We were lucky to have the berm in place. The next day, the water levels went down and the erosion was noticeable."
Warm water temperatures may be causing stress and increase the risk of infections and other illness in fish.
"Within a week we saw thousands of shearwaters along the beaches, and witnessed hundreds dead. They would sit on the tideline unable to walk, foraging on dead fish that had washed ashore and trying to feed on the fish in the nets of the set net sites as well."
During the summer of 2019, warm water temperatures lowered the amount of dissolved oxygen in rivers and caused salmon across the state, including Mountain Village, to die before they were able to spawn.
Highest measured temperatures ever (2018) were measured in Arcen, Holland. 38,2 degrees celsius.
Temperatures in July reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit, above the normal high temperature of 72.3 degrees.
Thunderstorms are unusual in Unalakleet; however, a thunderstorm cell persisted in the area for longer than usual. Hot, dry conditions across Alaska have increased the risk of wildland fire, including that started from lightening strike.
In July, Norton Sound water surface temperatures reached 68.2 DEG F on 7/10 and 69.3 DEG F on 7/11, which is about 17 degrees above average. The water was warm enough to comfortably swim in.
A burying beetle was seen for the first time by an observer in Tuntutuliak.
Our operations and maintenance staff do their best to insure all mechanical systems are functioning properly. But several factors limited their ability to respond, including significant smoke from the Swan Lake wildfire.
It was also during the week where a number of dead fish started to occur along the riverine segment.
"Our temperatures reached 83 degrees, and seem to be getting hotter! We think that maybe the warm water has something to do with the humpy die-off?"
Unusual cone clouds in the air likely produced precipitation that evaporated before reaching the ground, due to unusually warm conditions.
Smoke from the North River fire is impacting outdoor air quality. The ADEC Division of Air Quality has issued an air quality advisory in effect from Tuesday, June 18, 2019 8:00 AM to Friday June 21, 2019 4:00 PM.
Smoke from the South River Hills Fire could be seen from Unalakleet. The fire began approximately 6 miles from the community, and grew from 30 to 160 acres.It was contained by BLM Alaska Fire Service Smokejumers by 11pm on June 9, 2019.
Thunderstorms are rare in Anchorage due to its proximity to the coast and protection by the Chugach Mountains from moist air traveling up from Southeast. Thursdays storm produced lightening that struck a power line and caused an outage, and produced nickel-sized hail in Eagle River.
Approximately 700 dead mottled sea stars (Evasterias troscheli) found with appendages intact, which indicate that mortality event may be related to stormy weather.
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