Flooding in Fairbanks

Floods in Fairbanks have two causes.

Very rarely there is, in summer, a high rainfall in a short time. Such abnormal rainfall was the cause of the August 1967 flood, the worst in the history of Fairbanks.

More common is springtime flooding caused by the melting of the winter snow cover. Major floods from this cause occurred in 1937 and 1948. It takes less total water in spring to cause a flood than in summer because the frozen ground of springtime prevents the soil from soaking up water.

Flooding danger in the valley is highest when there is a late breakup following a winter of high snowfall. A breakup during the usually warm weather of mid-May is conducive to flooding, especially if rainfall accompanies the breakup.

Prediction of the temperature and rainfall during this year's breakup is near-impossible, but the winter's snowfall is known. As most Fairbanksans have noticed we now have only about two-thirds of the average winter accumulation. Therefore our chances for a spring flood are smaller than during most years.