Alaska Weather: Flood Warnings Still In Effect After 'Rare And Historic' Bering Sea Storm

Several flood warnings are still in effect across Alaska following the "rare and historic" Bering Sea storm that pummelled the state throughout the weekend. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Anchorage warned of heavy rainfall to continue through late Wednesday.

The worst has passed and water levels in critical areas are expected to recede through Tuesday afternoon, as per officials, the Alaska Public Media reported.

Talking about the storm that was a remnant of Typhoon Merbok, NWS meteorologist Virginia Rux said, "Merbok was a rare and historic storm for the Bering Sea and Western Alaska," adding that many "coastal communities are still recovering" from the storm's onslaught.

The NWS in Alaska likened the weekend storm to an "uncle that comes over for a few days" and "won't leave" after making a mess.

Officials carried out the damage assessments across the state, and while there were no reports of injuries or deaths related to the storm, the remnants of Merbok left a trail of destruction, as reported by Anchorage Daily News.

Over the weekend, there were reports of telecom outages and damages to infrastructures such as docks, village runways, roads, and buildings, the outlet reported.

In some parts of Fairbanks, the water levels remained high Sunday afternoon, as reported by the NWS.

Merbok was forecasted to be "the strongest storm in over a decade" in Alaska, NWS Fairbanks meteorologist Jonathan Chriest said Friday.

Officials revealed that some residents in Kotzebue had to leave their homes and find shelter elsewhere Saturday evening and into Sunday morning due to flooding. The city of Kotzebue is located in a low-lying area and is the seat of the state's Northwest Arctic Borough.

The following flood-related warnings and watches are still in effect:

Wind Advisory effective through Tuesday morning:

• Eastern Alaska Range

Coastal Flood Warning effective through Monday morning:

• Baldwin Peninsula
• Selawik Valley

Coastal Flood Warning effective through Monday morning:

• Northern Seward Peninsula
• Interior Seward Peninsula

Coastal Flood Warning effective through Monday morning:

• Southern Seward Peninsula Coast

Coastal Flood Warning effective through Monday:

• Eastern Norton Sound
• Nulato Hills

Coastal Flood Warning effective through Monday:

• St. Lawrence Island
• Bering Strait Coast

Coastal Flood Warning effective through noon Monday:

• Chukchi Sea Coast

Coastal Flood Warning effective through Monday afternoon:

• Western Arctic Coast

Meanwhile, the NWS in Anchorage issued a Flood Watch for the Eastern Prince William Sound and the Copper River Basin that takes effect from late Monday through late Wednesday as an atmospheric river is expected to bring heavy rainfall in the said areas.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), atmospheric rivers are "like rivers in the sky" that carry water vapor levels equivalent to "the flow of water at the mouth of the Mississippi River."

Atmospheric rivers often release water vapors in the form of snow or rain, the NOAA said.