UPDATE: Thane Road reopened, “Hazard is still high” for downtown avalanche

Published 12:40 pm Saturday, January 10, 2026

Update: Sunday, 2:00 p.m.

Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities reopened Thane Road late Sunday morning.

“Avalanche hazard remains elevated and additional closures are possible,” ADOT&PF stated in a social media post. “With continued active weather Thane Road could close with limited advance notice. DOT&PF is continuing to monitor the avalanche hazard and will provide updates as necessary.”

The evacuation advisory for downtown residents in slide zones remains in effect. The City and Borough of Juneau encourages residents to enter their address into the avalanche hazard map to determine if they are at risk.

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Original story: Saturday, 3:30 p.m.

Avalanche risk remains high as of Saturday afternoon, and more rain is expected through tomorrow evening. CBJ, with Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, the National Weather Service and Tlingit & Haida, held a briefing Saturday morning to provide an update on avalanche risk and another storm expected next week.

On Thursday morning, Gov. Mike Dunleavy officially approved a joint disaster declaration the City and Borough of Juneau and the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes issued Tuesday. The declaration will allow the state to provide resources and financial support as CBJ continues to face the consequences of this year’s record-breaking snowfall.

Several avalanches detected yesterday, more expected throughout the weekend

CBJ Avalanche Adviser John Bressette said the total number of avalanches that have occurred over downtown since yesterday morning is “well into the double digits,” with snow releasing on Behrends Avenue, White Pass and the Chop Gulley area leading toward Flume and Basin Roads. Additional avalanches have occurred on both sides of Mount Juneau, and several Douglas residents have posted videos to Facebook of avalanches occuring above downtown.

The Department of Transportation has detected roughly ten avalanches over Thane highway since DOT closed the avalanche gates yesterday at noon. Thane residents have been directed to shelter in place.

Bressette said the snowpack “locked up” last night due to cooler temperatures and a lull in the rain, but he’s expecting avalanche risk to ramp up again today as temperatures and rainfall levels continue to climb.

“Hazard is still high, and we don’t feel comfortable putting people back into their homes underneath those paths at this point,” he concluded.

Capital City Fire/Rescue has staged emergency response equipment on both sides of every known slide path.

National Weather Service expects a “significant” storm system next week

NWS Senior Service Hydrologist Aaron Jacobs said Juneau has received one to two inches of rain in the past 36 hours. Another inch is expected today, and a flood advisory is in effect until 9 p.m.

Roughly 8.5 inches of rain has soaked into the snowpack. NWS forecasts above-freezing temperatures and another inch of rain Sunday evening. Jacobs said Monday will offer a break in the weather before more warm temperatures and heavy precipitation hit Tuesday or Wednesday.

Juneau hasn’t received this much snow since 1965, and Jacobs said the warmer temperatures immediately following the snowfall is unprecedented. Although extreme weather events are indicative of climate change, Jacobs said short-term weather patterns don’t directly correlate to long-term climate trends.

“The amount of snowpack that we are seeing on the ground at the airport — and then this massive warm up that we’re seeing — really hasn’t been seen in the climate records,” he said.

Road conditions improve; city asks for help keeping storm drains clear

CCFR Assistant Chief of Administration Sam Russell referred to the roads as a “slip and slide type situation” following the atmospheric river and freezing temperatures.

The only road closure besides Thane Highway is Glacier Highway from Yankee Cove to Echo Cove. DOT&PF Regional Maintenance Chief Marcus Zimmerman said a contractor is working to clear “a tremendous amount of snow on the road,” but it’s currently impassable.

Road crews are working around the clock to sand roads and push water back throughout town. Deputy city manager Robert Barr said Juneau residents can help reduce flooding by clearing storm drains, reporting malfunctions to 907-585-5256 or emailing photos of clogged drains and their locations to emergencyresponse@juneau.gov.

In a press release issued Friday, CCFR said clearing at least a three-foot radius around fire hydrants and creating a path to the street can “save precious minutes in an emergency.” A map of every storm drain and fire hydrant in the borough can be found on the city’s website.

For real-time updates on road conditions, visit 511.alaska.gov.

47 evacuees stay in Centennial Hall, warming shelter relocated again

The city’s warming shelter in Thane was relocated to the Marie Drake building on Friday morning. It was relocated again to the Sitʼ Eeti Shaanáx̱ Glacier Valley Elementary School gymnasium that evening when the Marie Drake building’s roof began making creaking noises, raising concerns about the amount of snow on the building.

Barr said the city is actively working on a longer-term solution to the warming center’s location.

“There is no scenario where the warming shelter will continue to exist in a school once one school is in operation again,” Barr said.

Ryan O’Shaughnessy, CBJ’s emergency programs manager, said 47 people stayed in the emergency shelter at Centennial Hall last night. The shelter, which opened at noon Friday, can hold up to 150 people.

Disaster response expected to cost millions

Barr said he expects the disaster response to cost millions of dollars, saying the city is in daily communication with insurers and brokers. Further down the road, CBJ will seek reimbursement through public assistance programs.

“Finances matter, and of course, we are taking those into account, but they are not the first priority,” Barr added. “The first priority is life, safety and ensuring that our critical infrastructure and facilities remain usable and open and serving our community.”

CBJ encourages residents to stay informed via emergency alerts.