Flood watch issued for much of the Mat-Su

The calendar says January, but a look out most Mat-Su borough residents looks more like April or May, as the stretch of warm weather has melted most, if not all of the snow in most areas.

Now a flood watch has been issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) for much of the Mat-Su Borough.

An atmospheric river will impact the Southcentral beginning Friday. The warmer temperatures are causing the forecasted precipitation to come in the form of rain instead of the typical snow seen this time of year in the lower elevations.

The NWS advisory calls for periods of heavy, sometimes excessive rainfall for most of the Borough through the weekend. The forecast calls for 1 to 2 ½ inches of rainfall for Matanuska Valley, Anchorage, and Western Kenai. In the Susitna Valley, expect 2 to 5 inches of rain.

With all that rain and melting snow, ponding has already been seen along roadways, with slick roads causing several accidents over the past week, including a propane truck sliding into a culvert in Houston.

There could be excessive runoff resulting in flooding of rivers, creeks, and other flood-prone areas. In Houston, which is prone to flooding from the Little Su River, officials are advising residents not to travel unless absolutely necessary, writing on their social media page:

“Side roads and intersections are extremely slick, and inclines are very difficult to navigate,” while their Public Works crew has been working to sand the roads. “Unfortunately, some of the sanding material has been washed away due to the heavy weather. We’ve already used three times the amount of sand compared to previous years in an effort to improve road conditions…(with) just two pieces of sanding equipment responsible for the entire city, we are doing everything we can to keep things safe.”

Meanwhile, parts of the northern Susitna Valley such as Talkeetna is not only under the flood watch, but also a weather advisory as snow is expected in the area. The NWS is calling for accumulations of 3 to 7 inches, with visibility as low as a half mile at times. The advisory is set to expire on January 24.

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough is recommending residents take action by staying alert to forecast updates, clearing drains, and moving items to higher ground if you live in flood-prone areas.

Drivers are advised that if they are traveling during this time, to use extra caution as rainfall in winter presents extra travel challenges: falling rain at night greatly reduces visibility, run-off from frozen ground will lead to ponding, and rain on icy side streets could cause slick conditions.

For more information, please visit www.weather.gov/ or www.511.alaska.gov

This is a developing story.