Weather

Rain runoff runs down a drain in the Mendenhall Valley. As of Sunday, Juneau had accumulated 82.48 inches of rain and/or melted snow, which means this year’s total would need just a touch more than 2.5 inches of rainfall to beat the current record set in 1991. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Juneau on track to break rainfall record

Long may it rain

Rain runoff runs down a drain in the Mendenhall Valley. As of Sunday, Juneau had accumulated 82.48 inches of rain and/or melted snow, which means this year’s total would need just a touch more than 2.5 inches of rainfall to beat the current record set in 1991. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire A Capital Transit bus advises riders winter routes are in effect Thursday as the first heavy snowfall of the season limits service to some difficult-to-access streets.

First serious snow snarls Juneau

Warming temperatures result in dense accumulations up to 7”; more snow expected this weekend.

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire A Capital Transit bus advises riders winter routes are in effect Thursday as the first heavy snowfall of the season limits service to some difficult-to-access streets.
A person waits at a bus station in the Valley area as rain patters around them Thursday afternoon. Weather service expects the rain to end in the Juneau area overnight Thursday and another front to arrive again Friday night. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

‘Landslides are a possibility’: Heavy rainfall and winds expected to continue

Weather service expects the rain to end overnight Thursday, another front Friday night.

A person waits at a bus station in the Valley area as rain patters around them Thursday afternoon. Weather service expects the rain to end in the Juneau area overnight Thursday and another front to arrive again Friday night. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire After weeks of heavy rainfall, multiple portions of the Montana Creek Bridge were closed after sustaining weather-related damage.

Troubled bridges over Juneau waters

September saw record rainfall, damaged structures.

Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire After weeks of heavy rainfall, multiple portions of the Montana Creek Bridge were closed after sustaining weather-related damage.
The sun shines over Auke Bay on Aug. 18 as a sunny weekend belies the coming autumn. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

Sun shines as weather edges toward autumn

A sunny weekend belies the coming of gray skies and cooling temperatures.

The sun shines over Auke Bay on Aug. 18 as a sunny weekend belies the coming autumn. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
Juneau is on track to beat record high temperatures going into the weekend and following week as a heatwave rolls through the Southeast. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

Sun and potentially record-setting heat are in Juneau’s future

Heatwave goodbye to the clouds.

Juneau is on track to beat record high temperatures going into the weekend and following week as a heatwave rolls through the Southeast. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
Cruise ship workers Leo Garcia, left, Joan Rosos, center, and Gerald Gasper take an ice cream break Wednesday in Marine Park, where the temperature at about 2 p.m. was 77 degrees, one degree below the record set in 1958. A record high of 78 degrees occurred in Juneau on Tuesday, as well as a record high of 74 degrees in Yakutat, with more record temperatures possible in Southeast Alaska this week before cooler weather and rain arrive this weekend, (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Record heat wave hits Juneau

New highs set Tuesday and Wednesday — and Thursday may be hotter; cooler weather expected this weekend

Cruise ship workers Leo Garcia, left, Joan Rosos, center, and Gerald Gasper take an ice cream break Wednesday in Marine Park, where the temperature at about 2 p.m. was 77 degrees, one degree below the record set in 1958. A record high of 78 degrees occurred in Juneau on Tuesday, as well as a record high of 74 degrees in Yakutat, with more record temperatures possible in Southeast Alaska this week before cooler weather and rain arrive this weekend, (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Damp paving stones in Mayor Bill Overstreet Park tell of a record-settlingly rainy January and a damp February to come. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

Rain records racked up

January was an outstandingly moist month.

Damp paving stones in Mayor Bill Overstreet Park tell of a record-settlingly rainy January and a damp February to come. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire The sun shines on the Mendenhall Wetlands State Game Refuge on Monday. According to forecasters, Monday is likely the last sunny day Juneau will see for the rest of the week as a snow event that’s forecasted to start Tuesday will give way to rain and warming temperatures during the back half of the week.

Flakes forecasted for February

New storm follows a very wet January

Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire The sun shines on the Mendenhall Wetlands State Game Refuge on Monday. According to forecasters, Monday is likely the last sunny day Juneau will see for the rest of the week as a snow event that’s forecasted to start Tuesday will give way to rain and warming temperatures during the back half of the week.
An avalanche above Basin Road covered the Gold Creek Flume Trail on Monday, Jan. 24, 2022, but didn’t affect any structures. Heavy rains over the weekend set records in Juneau and caused several small avalanches in the region. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Weekend weather sets records, causes power disruptions

Considerable avalanche danger.

An avalanche above Basin Road covered the Gold Creek Flume Trail on Monday, Jan. 24, 2022, but didn’t affect any structures. Heavy rains over the weekend set records in Juneau and caused several small avalanches in the region. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
This National Weather Service map shows hazards around Southeast Alaska. An atmospheric river in the area has produced record-setting rain and flood watches throughout the region. (Screenshot)

Heavy rain prompts flood advisories, avalanche concerns, road closures

A hard rain is gonna (continue to) fall.

This National Weather Service map shows hazards around Southeast Alaska. An atmospheric river in the area has produced record-setting rain and flood watches throughout the region. (Screenshot)
In this satellite image taken by Himawari-8, a Japanese weather satellite, and released by the agency, shows an undersea volcano eruption at the Pacific nation of Tonga Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022. An undersea volcano erupted in spectacular fashion near the Pacific nation of Tonga on Saturday, sending large waves crashing across the shore and people rushing to higher ground. (Japan Meteorology Agency)

Update: Tsunami advisory canceled for Southeast Alaska

It applies to Southeast from the BC border to Cape Fairweather.

In this satellite image taken by Himawari-8, a Japanese weather satellite, and released by the agency, shows an undersea volcano eruption at the Pacific nation of Tonga Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022. An undersea volcano erupted in spectacular fashion near the Pacific nation of Tonga on Saturday, sending large waves crashing across the shore and people rushing to higher ground. (Japan Meteorology Agency)
A worker stands outside a collapsed building in Lemon Creek on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022, one of two building collapses reported in Juneau amid ongoing rain following heavy snowfall. The City and Borough of Juneau said no injuries were reported and urged building owners to be cautious of snow loads on roofs. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

City reports 2 buildings collapse as continuing rain stresses infrastructure

Rain to continue through weekend.

A worker stands outside a collapsed building in Lemon Creek on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022, one of two building collapses reported in Juneau amid ongoing rain following heavy snowfall. The City and Borough of Juneau said no injuries were reported and urged building owners to be cautious of snow loads on roofs. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Heavy snow over the weekend was followed by rising temperatures and steady rain. This led to icy conditions and added weight to snow imperiling decks, roofs and vessels in the capital city. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Meltdown: Heavy snow chased by rain prompts closures, concerns

Concern builds as rain increases weight of snow pack

Heavy snow over the weekend was followed by rising temperatures and steady rain. This led to icy conditions and added weight to snow imperiling decks, roofs and vessels in the capital city. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Snow blows off Mount Roberts high above the Thane avalanche chute, where an avalanche blew across the road during a major snowstorm last weekend. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

Mercurial weather may increase avalanche risk

Snow becoming rain during a storm system is generally bad news.

Snow blows off Mount Roberts high above the Thane avalanche chute, where an avalanche blew across the road during a major snowstorm last weekend. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
A tree branch bears the weight of accumulated snow. Much of Southeast Alaska saw a foot or more of snow between Friday night and Saturday morning. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

‘A lot of people have gotten a lot of snow’

Juneau puts a new foot (of snow) forward in the new year.

A tree branch bears the weight of accumulated snow. Much of Southeast Alaska saw a foot or more of snow between Friday night and Saturday morning. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Clearing skies appeared over the Gastineau Channel late in the afternoon on Tuesday, Dec. 21, after a quick-moving snowstorm dumped up to 11 inches of snow across the City and Borough of Juneau. (Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire)

Heavy snow means white Christmas in Juneau

Cold temperatures on the way

Clearing skies appeared over the Gastineau Channel late in the afternoon on Tuesday, Dec. 21, after a quick-moving snowstorm dumped up to 11 inches of snow across the City and Borough of Juneau. (Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire)
Heavy snow and rain fell on Juneau’s Aurora Harbor on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021, creating potentially hazardous conditions. City and Borough of Juneau Docks and Harbors officials asked boat owners to keep a careful eye on their vessels as heavy snow and rain is expected through the week. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

More rain, snow and overnight ice expected

Drive/Boat safe.

Heavy snow and rain fell on Juneau’s Aurora Harbor on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021, creating potentially hazardous conditions. City and Borough of Juneau Docks and Harbors officials asked boat owners to keep a careful eye on their vessels as heavy snow and rain is expected through the week. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
The season’s first snow greeted people downtown Wednesday, Nov. 10. Later that morning, forecasters at the National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory, predicting that two to four inches of snow could fall on the capital city starting late Thursday night and into Friday morning. (Peter Segall/Juneau Empire)

Low-pressure system likely to bring snow to Juneau

That escalated quickly.

The season’s first snow greeted people downtown Wednesday, Nov. 10. Later that morning, forecasters at the National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory, predicting that two to four inches of snow could fall on the capital city starting late Thursday night and into Friday morning. (Peter Segall/Juneau Empire)
A brisk wind blows leaves into the water near Eagle Beach State Recreation area on Friday, Oct. 22. The falling leaves are one sign that winter is coming to Southeast Alaska. On Thursday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center released its winter outlook and predicted a second winter with a La Nina climate. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)

A La Nina winter is coming

La Nina could mean colder-than-normal temps

A brisk wind blows leaves into the water near Eagle Beach State Recreation area on Friday, Oct. 22. The falling leaves are one sign that winter is coming to Southeast Alaska. On Thursday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center released its winter outlook and predicted a second winter with a La Nina climate. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)