Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Bristol Bay Borough, Alaska. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Coastal flooding and storm surge driven by strong Bering Sea low-pressure systems dominate the flood character of Bristol Bay Borough. Over the last 30 years, recorded hazards include 6 coastal flood events, 5 storm surge or tide events, and 4 general flood events.
Severe storms frequently impact the coastline, such as a strong frontal system in November 2022 that brought strong onshore winds and minor coastal flooding to portions of Bristol Bay. Another Bering Sea low pressure system in July 2022 increased surf and raised water levels along the coastline through a tight pressure gradient and gusty winds.
Residents with coastal properties, as well as those located near the coastline and tidally influenced areas, should pay the most attention to flood risk due to the frequency of storm surge and coastal flooding events.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
4 federal disaster declarations since 1974.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storms And Avalanches | Dec 21, 1999 |
| Freeze In Spawning Areas Of Red Salmon | Jun 24, 1974 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
15 since 1996: 4 river or area floods and 11 coastal floods or surges.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Coastal Flood | Nov 14, 2023 | — |
| Storm Surge/Tide | Jul 23, 2022 | — |
| Coastal Flood | Nov 1, 2022 | — |
| Coastal Flood | Dec 8, 2021 | — |
| Storm Surge/Tide | Dec 24, 2015 | — |
| Storm Surge/Tide | Dec 27, 2014 | — |
| Coastal Flood | Feb 24, 2009 | $10,000 |
| Storm Surge/Tide | Dec 27, 2007 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Coastal Flood · Nov 14, 2023. A strong low developed to the west of the Aleutian Chain late on the evening of November 13th and moved into the western Bering Sea, eventually moving east into the western coastline of Mainland Alaska by the afternoon of November 15th. Strong winds gusting as high as 77 mph affected portions of the central Aleutians as the low moved to the north while even stronger winds and seas up to 40 feet between the Pribil…
Storm Surge/Tide · Jul 23, 2022. A low pressure moving through the Bering brought increased surf to the Bristol Bay coastline. A tight pressure gradient due to the low brought gusty winds and helped to push the water towards the coastline raising the water levels.
Coastal Flood · Nov 1, 2022. A frontal system tracking east across the Bering Sea at the tail end of October reached the Southwest Alaska as a new low developed along the boundary between November 1st and 2nd and strengthened up until moving ashore near the Kuskokwim Delta. This system brought a multitude of impacts to portions of the region as it headed inland, ranging from minor coastal flooding due to strong onshore winds in portions of B…
Coastal Flood · Dec 8, 2021. A north to south oriented frontal boundary brought periods of heavy snow, avalanche conditions, lowered visibilities, high winds and strong surf from west to east over the course of several days as the front shifted slowly east and developed into a triple point low over the western Gulf. Strong upper level dynamics and a deep moisture fetch made this an impactful storm for southern Alaska.
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in Bristol Bay Borough is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.