Kotzebue Area Coastal Floods
Overview
On October 22-23, 2024 and October 8, 2025, communities in Kotzebue Sound experienced two coastal flooding events with widespread damage to roads, homes, docks, fish camps, and sewage systems. In 2024, the Kotzebue airport closed for 48 hours and in 2025, the city was placed under mandatory evacuation. Both events occurred during the fall to winter transition, creating urgency to clean up the communities before waterlogged debris froze. This high frequency recurrence of October floods in Kotzebue Sound is unprecedented, raising concerns about future coastal flooding events in northwestern Alaska.
Disaster Declared (twice)
Oct. 22, 2024 Governor Dunleavy issued disaster declaration
Jan. 16, 2025 President Biden approved federal disaster declaration
In 2024, FEMA approved $264,312 in public assistance for the Northwest Arctic Borough
Oct. 9, 2025 Governor Dunleavy issued disaster declaration
Oct. 23, 2025 President Trump approved federal disaster declaration
Weather Woes
The storms’ severe flooding in October 2024 and 2025 were quite different in character. In 2024, the storm formed northwest of Kotzebue over the Chukchi Sea, a rare occurence. In 2025, the storm moved through the northern Bering Sea before moving into the Chukchi Sea, a much more typical route. Despite their different tracks, both storms elevated ocean levels over the southern Chukchi Sea. The winds then turned to the west, pushing the high water into the Baldwin Peninsula and producing coastal flooding throughout Kotzebue Sound.
Kotzebue October 8, 2025. Photos by Alaska DOT & PF
Community Specific Impacts
Kotzebue: Oct. 22-23, 2024: Water 6.0 feet above MHHW*, 55mph wind gusts; at least 80 people evacuated, one family air rescued from cabin; two houses destroyed and many others flooded; roads impassable due to blown debris from high winds, airport closed for two days due to flooded runways and ice accumulation from high winds; schools and businesses closed; sewage lagoon impacted; tents at subsistence fish camp washed away; dock washed away; significant beach erosion; one sled dog team displaced
Oct. 8, 2025: Water 6.0 feet above MHHW*; city placed under mandatory evacuation; 103 people sheltered overnight and six people displaced long-term; 52 homes with water damage, $1.20 million estimated in property damage; schools and non-essential businesses closed; sewage lagoon damaged; severe erosion near Ted Stevens Way
Kivalina: 2025 storm, the city evacuated and 287 residents sheltered overnight
Diomede: 2024 storm, widespread coastal flooding; island lost power; two shipping containers floated away in the storm
Shishmaref: 2024 storm, worst high water in living memory, severe shoreline erosion; protective berm damaged, roads and landfill damaged, archeological site lost with erosion, graves swept away; outbuilding floated away
Deering: 2024 storm road to airport and runway flooded; 2025 storm, erosion near clinic
*MHHW is equivalent to “above the normal daily highest high tide line”
Timely Response
Both the 2024 and 2025 floods occurred during the fall to winter transition, a critical period in northwestern Alaska when temperatures begin to fall below freezing. Waterlogged materials like debris, soaked insulation, or even wet floors were at risk of freezing for the entire winter and turning houses into “ice boxes.” After both storms, the Northwest Arctic Borough communicated the urgency to de-water, dehumidify, and dry out houses and clear debris in order to survive the winter, a storm recovery factor truly unique to the Alaska coast.
References
4859 | FEMA.gov. (2025, December 11). https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4859
Flood waters dropping as Western Alaska residents survey damage. (2024, October 23). [Video recording]. https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/video/2024/10/23/flood-waters-dropping-western-alaska-residents-survey-damage/
Flooding, high winds creating havoc amid Western Alaska storm. (2024a, October 23). Retrieved March 30, 2026, from https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/video/2024/10/24/flooding-high-winds-creating-havoc-amid-western-alaska-storm/
Hagen, D. (2024b, October 23). Coastal storm flooding hits Kotzebue-area communities. Alaska Public Media. https://alaskapublic.org/news/2024-10-23/coastal-storm-flooding-hits-kotzebue-area-communities
Hagen, D. (2024c, October 23). Kotzebue flooding declared state disaster as residents recover. Alaska Public Media. https://alaskapublic.org/news/2024-10-23/kotzebue-flooding-declared-state-disaster-as-residents-recover
Hagen, D. (2025a, October 7). Northwest Alaska braces for coastal flooding. KOTZ. https://www.kotz.org/kotz-local-news/2025-10-06/northwest-alaska-braces-for-coastal-flooding
Hagen, D. (2025b, October 28). Northwest Arctic continues recovery efforts 3 weeks after major flooding. KOTZ. https://www.kotz.org/kotz-local-news/2025-10-28/northwest-arctic-continues-recovery-efforts-3-weeks-after-major-flooding
Kotzebue airport reopens as flood damage assessments and cleanup continue. (2024, October 24). Retrieved March 30, 2026, from https://alaskapublic.org/news/2024-10-24/kotzebue-airport-reopens-as-flood-damage-assessments-and-cleanup-continue
Kotzebue, Alaska. (October 22, 2024, October 8, 2025). AOOS Ocean Data Explorer. Retrieved March 30, 2026, from https://portal.aoos.org
Kotzebue residents work to return to ‘normal’ after major flooding, high winds. (2024, October 25). [Video recording]. https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/video/2024/10/25/kotzebue-residents-work-return-normal-after-major-flooding-high-winds/
Mandatory evacuations ordered in Kotzebue as flooding from coastal storm begins. (n.d.). Retrieved March 30, 2026, from https://alaskapublic.org/news/public-safety/2025-10-08/mandatory-evacuations-ordered-in-kotzebue-as-flooding-from-coastal-storm-begins
Storm Events Database—Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information. (2024a, October 21-22). Retrieved March 30, 2026, from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/
Storm Events Database—Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information. (2025a, October 8-9). Retrieved March 30, 2026, from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/Storm Events Database—Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information. (2025b, October 8-9). Retrieved March 30, 2026, from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/