Juneau Running Out Of Room To Dump Record Snow As It Races To Dig Out Before Rain Arrives
- - Juneau Running Out Of Room To Dump Record Snow As It Races To Dig Out Before Rain Arrives
Renee StrakerJanuary 7, 2026 at 6:33 AM
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Juneau, Alaska, is racing to remove mountains of snow from across the city before rain turns a snow emergency into disastrous flooding.
Nearly 40 inches of snow is on the ground after back-to-back storms. Teams of workers and volunteers are shoveling rooftops, digging out vehicles and sunken boats and hauling out truckloads of snow.
But the city is running out of places to pile up all that precipitation.
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Hall/Rigsby via SevereStudios
Some of the snow was being shoved off piers and ports into the Gastineau Channel after Alaska’s Department of Energy gave special authorization for clean, freshly fallen snow to be dumped in open water.
City officials announced an emergency disaster declaration on Tuesday, requesting state assistance. Schools and public buildings were closed Tuesday as the snow continued.
This all follows record snow in Juneau during Christmas and into the New Year. December was the second snowiest month on record, which dates back to 1948.
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The Alaska capital picked up 82 inches (almost 7 feet) of snowfall, more than half of which fell in just five days from Dec. 27-31. That’s almost an entire year’s worth of snow.
The crushing weight sank boats and caused roofs to cave in on multiple homes and buildings.
Fifty inches of snow at the airport on New Year’s Eve set an all-time snow depth record.
And now a soaking rain is ahead for the snow-clogged city beginning Thursday, according to Weather.com senior meteorologist Jonathan Erdman.
Erdman says, “That could lead to additional flooding in spots, especially in areas where drains were clogged from the snow. That also increases the threat of roof collapses, especially on flatter roofs, as the rain adds significant weight to the deep snowpack.”
City officials released maps of storm drains, encouraging residents to help clear them to prevent flooding. They also encouraged residents to stay off the roads as crews work to prepare for the melting snow and rain.
Source: “AOL Breaking”
