Will Nicholls, of the city’s landscaping division, deadheads flowers and pulls weeds from a Main Street median on Friday, July 12, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Will Nicholls, of the city’s landscaping division, deadheads flowers and pulls weeds from a Main Street median on Friday, July 12, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

One of the longest dry weather spells in Juneau just ended

The capital city went 18 straight days without rain.

Merrill Jensen turned into a workaholic last July, a month in which just 2.7 inches of rain fell in the capital city, roughly half the norm.

A year later, the Jensen-Olson Arboretum Director & Horticulturist has once again found himself working hard to keep the botanical garden alive. The first rainfall for the month — plus seven straight days leading up to July 1 — came on Friday, putting an end to one of the longest dry spells in Juneau’s history.

“I really haven’t had a day off in a month,” Jensen said.

The capital city had gone 18 straight days without rain when the National Weather Service recorded 0.03 inches of precipitation at the airport on Friday, marking one of only 13 instances in Juneau’s recorded weather history of 18 or more days of continuous dry weather.

“It’s on the rarer side,” NWS meterologist Brian Bezenek said, “but it’s not uncommon to get 10-14 day dry streaks of some nice weather.”

The weather service is forecasting for more rain in the coming days, according to Bezenek.

“It does look like we could get some good measurable rain to help settle the dust and water the lawns and the flowers starting the early part of next week,” he said.

In addition to relieving gardeners, the rain is also mopping up smoke. The City and Borough of Juneau canceled an air emergency on Friday after seeing the levels of airborne particulates from wildfire smoke go down.

“The rain helps scrub out some of the smoke particles,” Bezenek said. “Some of the wind shift — and we don’t have a real strong wind aloft right now — it’s stopped pushing new smoke particles into the air.”

Back at the arboretum

Jensen said he’s watered the property over 30 days since mid-May, a large number considering there’s still two months of summer left.

“That’s just crazy to be watering a rainforest that much this early in the season,” Jensen said. “We’ve had dry summers, but when you start dragging the hose around in May, that’s kind of crazy.”

The last significant rain event at the arboretum took place during the third week of June.

“It was just over an inch of rain on the 17th, this (recent rain) kind of helped, but yeah I’ve been watering the last 25 days consecutively,” Jensen said. “It’s a major impact, it keeps me working around the clock. I’m moving water in the middle of the night to keep things going, keep things green.”

The arboretum’s well doesn’t have enough capacity to service more than one hose at a time, Jensen said.

“It takes four days to go from one end to the other to get everything watered,” he said. “When it was up in the 80s, that was too much time in between on some plants, and they let me know real quick that they were not happy.”


• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nainsworth@juneauempire.com. Follow Empire Sports on Twitter at @akempiresports.


More in News

The Norwegian Bliss arrives in Juneau on Monday, April 14, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)
Ships in port for the week of June 8

This information comes from the Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska’s 2025 schedule.… Continue reading

Then-Rep. Grier Hopkins, D-Fairbanks, speaks on the floor of the Alaska House, Wednesday, May 18, 2022. Hopkins is now the mayor of the Fairbanks North Star Borough. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
Officials warn of possible lawsuit in wake of Alaska governor’s education funding veto

Among issues are if veto violates Alaska’s constitutional guarantee of adequately funded public schools.

Youths compete in a choker setter race during last year’s Juneau Gold Rush Days at Savikko Park on Sunday, June 23, 2024. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
A not-entirely-precise schedule of this year’s Juneau Gold Rush Days

Timing of events for 33rd annual weekend “depends on the number of contestants and speed of competitors”

The Black Bear chairlift at Eaglecrest Ski Area will not reopen because repairs are no longer practical, officials said Thursday. (City and Borough of Juneau photo)
Eaglecrest leaders decide Black Bear chairlift is beyond repair, seek alternatives to get skiers at their peak

Possibilities include converting Ptarmigan lift to triple-chair in addition to long-awaited gondola.

Homes in downtown and west Juneau on Friday, May 13, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Short-term rental task force recommends rule adjustments, but no cap on units for property owners

Group suggests allowing multiple STRs for a single dwelling, “grandfathering” period for new rules.

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters at the White House on Thursday, June 12, 2025. (Doug Mills/The New York Times)
Opinion: The king of hubris

On Monday, President Donald Trump was asked if he planned to deploy… Continue reading

Rep. Nick Begich III, R-Alaska, speaks to the Alaska Legislature on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025. At background are Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak (left) and Speaker of the House Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham (right). (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
Begich joins US House Republicans in voting to claw back public broadcasting money

Clawback, formally known as a rescission, subject to approval by Senate in a simple majority vote.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks about his decision to veto House Bill 57 during a press conference at the Alaska State Capitol on Monday, May 19, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)
Dunleavy vetoes $200 of $700 BSA increase as he signs state budget for coming year

Governor cites low oil prices for $122 million in total cuts to budget approved by Legislature.

Most Read