© Mikko Wilson/KTOOA sunken boat in Aurora Harbor on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024
The City and Borough of Juneau put out a statement Wednesday that said avalanches have come down on Basin Road and above Behrends Avenue, the same spot where a slide occurred last week. A city official said that Basin Road is closed where it intersects with Eighth Street.
Four boats sank in the city harbor early Wednesday morning, according to Juneau Harbormaster Matt Creswell, who said he is concerned more vessels are at risk of sinking due to the heavy snowfall. Creswell urged all boat owners to check on their boats immediately and clear off any snow they can.
Juneau has seen over 28 inches of snow since Sunday alone and is up over 61 inches — or more than five feet — in the month of January.
A week prior, Juneau was hit with over 30 inches of snow over a span of three days, leaving at least three boats sunk in the city harbor. The snow dump also resulted in two large avalanches close to town, one of which buried Thane Road in roughly 1-2 feet of snow and closed it for almost a day. Further work to clear the area of the slide has continued since then.
The heavy snow also collapsed the roof of a commercial building, according to Capital City Fire and Rescue, which also said that two porches had come down in the town as well.
The city put out an emergency advisory Wednesday warning residents of avalanche dangers that could range from "very large" to near "historic."
Officials said that several avalanches have been seen near downtown, including the common path down slopes above Behrends Avenue. Juneau officials warned that more slides are possible along common avalanche routes and asked residents to stay away from those areas by consulting a guide provided by the city.
© Becky BohrerThis photo taken Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, in Juneau, Alaska, shows a sign that warns people along Basin Road of avalanche risk. The city on Wednesday closed the road near this sign due to reported avalanches and avalanche danger.
Reader Comments
At some point in time I seem to have gotten centimeters vs inches drilled into me and I remember it as 2.54 centimeters per inch. The only way I've got to verify it is to notice that on a ruler or yard stick the centimeter side has the markings spaced closer.