Alaska’s capital city advised downtown residents in avalanche zones to evacuate their homes late Friday morning. Avalanche risk mounted as a result of increased snowfall, higher temperatures and forecasted rain, triggering an emergency alert.
City and Borough of Juneau Emergency Programs Manager Ryan O’Shaughnessy said the city is monitoring the risk closely and working with the National Weather Service and the state’s Department of Transportation.
“If you live in a slide path it’s time to grab your go bag and get out of your house and make other arrangements until the hazard has cleared,” he said at a news conference on Zoom that began late Friday morning.
O’Shaughnessy pointed residents to an interactive map of avalanche zones in downtown Juneau. Residents can type in their addresses to see if they are in a risk zone. He said the avalanche zone depicted in the maps includes what are called runout zones, where snow would spread after an avalanche.
“This is not a decision that we made lightly,” O’Shaughnessy said of the evacuation advisory. “We’ve been monitoring the current conditions… and we’ve come to this decision to ultimately protect life and safety.”
The American Red Cross of Alaska has opened Centennial Hall as a shelter for displaced residents. O’Shaughnessy said the shelter will also accept people whose residences do not fall in the evacuation zone if they feel they are in danger. He said the evacuation notice could last several days depending on weather conditions.
Juneau has endured record breaking cold and snowfall this winter. NWS recorded 82 inches of snow at the Juneau airport in December and another 9 inches this month. The average for an entire winter season in Juneau is 87 inches of snow, NWS meteorologist Nicole Ferrin said.
NWS reported 3-7 inches of snow overnight on Thursday and a transition to moderate to heavy rain on Friday. Ferrin said the agency expects the heaviest rain on Friday afternoon and evening, which should taper on Saturday.
In addition to avalanche risk, there is a flood watch in effect in Juneau for localized flooding and ponding of water on roadways.
“If you’re not sure how deep the water is across a roadway or otherwise, or if you don’t know if your vehicle can make it through, then find an alternate route,” Ferrin said on Friday. “If your tailpipe is reaching the level of the water, then you could easily get stuck and cause more issues there.”
State transportation officials closed the only road to the Thane neighborhood at noon on Friday due to high avalanche risk in the Mt. Roberts slide zone. Capitol transit has limited bus service and is not servicing stops on Glacier Highway due to avalanche risk in that area.
The City and Borough of Juneau and the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska issued a joint disaster declaration on Tuesday that was followed by a verbal state disaster declaration from Gov. Mike Dunleavy.
The news comes less than two weeks before the beginning of the legislative session in Juneau. The Capitol Building is not in an avalanche zone, but the governor closed all executive offices on Friday afternoon, according to Sante Lesh, the director of the state’s Legislative Affairs Agency.
Jeff Turner, a spokesperson for the Dunleavy administration, said state buildings are in “good shape,” but employees were asked to go home early on Friday at 1:00 p.m.
U.S. Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska has crews on standby to support Capital City Fire/Rescue and provide waterside transport in the event that it is needed to bypass high risk areas on the road system, Coast Guard Captain Stanley Fields said on Friday at a news conference with the city.
Juneau schools are closed Friday in anticipation of heavy snow and rain; the University of Alaska Southeast is operating remotely.
“This is a tough one,” O’Shaughnessy said at the Friday news conference. “This storm has impacted every aspect of all of our lives, both personally and professionally. I think everyone is tired. I know I’ve shoveled roofs and my driveway more times than I can count. But I want to stress that we are not out of the woods, and there are still significant hazards that remain for the public.”