Summer Rains

It's a sure sign on summer when I start posting hydrographs. Here is the plot of observed and forecast stages on the Salcha River at the Richardson Highway bridge. Water levels have been rising in response to showers the last few days, and will rise more with the steady rains today. Since late Thursday evening, rainfall amounts of a quarter to one inch of rain has been common, with the highest amounts east of Fairbanks and the lowest west of town.