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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Juneau residents get all clear after glacial lake outburst sent debris-filled water rushing down Alaska river
JUNEAU, Alaska – The all clear has been given and residents have been allowed to return to their homes in Alaska's capital of Juneau after a glacial lake outburst sent debris-filled water rushing down the Mendenhall River on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. How To Watch Fox Weather According to the National Weather Service office in Juneau, the Mendenhall River at Auke Bay crested at a record 16.65 feet at 7:15 a.m. local time on Wednesday. That now makes this event the largest glacial lake outburst flooding on record. Last year's event, which took place between Aug. 3 and Aug. 6 was the previous record when the river crested at 15.99 feet. Download The Free Fox Weather App According to the City and Borough of Juneau, the flood threat from Suicide Basin ended on Wednesday evening when floodwaters receded from local roads. However, officials said the Back Loop Bridge would remain closed until safety inspections could be completed. Areas of the city that had been evacuated were reopened to residents only, and while conditions have been gradually improving, impacts continue. City officials said they would be holding a special assembly meeting on Friday to discuss a resolution declaring a local emergency in response to the 2025 glacial outburst flood and a request for state and federal assistance. In addition, the Juneau School District said it would remain closed on Thursday at all JSD locations. "Delaying the start of school by one day will also allow Unified Command staff and safety crews to assess damage in the Valley area," officials said. City officials said crews will continue to move through affected areas of Juneau to assess damage and other impacts from the glacial lake outburst flood event. "Please continue to use caution around damaged areas and avoid riverbanks," city officials said. "Do not drive through standing water. In addition to posing a safety hazard, driving generates waves that cause additional damage to nearby structures." Suicide Basin is a side basin of the Mendenhall Glacier above Juneau. Since 2011, the NWS said Suicide Basin has released glacial lake outburst floods that caused inundation along Mendenhall Lake and River annually. Prior to this event, the last release occurred on Oct. 20, article source: Juneau residents get all clear after glacial lake outburst sent debris-filled water rushing down Alaska river Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Alaska capital Juneau urged to evacuate as 'glacial outburst' flood looms
Emergency managers are urging many residents of Alaska's capital city of Juneau to evacuate as summer glacial flooding driven by climate change threatens to inundate the area. Authorities say flooding from the Mendenhall River will likely crest around 4 p.m. Alaska time on Aug. 13, or 8 p.m. Eastern. They hope two miles worth of emergency flood barriers they finished intalling last month will hold back the waters from Mendenhall Valley, where a majority of Juneau's 32,000 full-time residents live. "Residents are advised to evacuate the potential flood inundation area," City and Borough of Juneau officials said in a message Aug. 12. "Do not go near the river." Gov. Mike Dunleavy has also issued a preemptive disaster declaration, citing the devastation caused by "glacial outbursts" in both 2023 and 2024. As of noon Alaska time on Aug. 12, the Mendenhall River in Juneau had risen to 10 feet deep from its usual level of about 5 feet, crossing into "moderate" flood stage territory, the National Weather Service reported. The record set last year is 16 feet deep, and forecasters say the river could surpass that. Forecasters estimate 14.6 billion gallons of water were released during last year's flood, enough to fill more than 22,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools, according to the weather service. Previous years floods have swamped basements, destroyed infrastructure and collapsed buildings near the riverbanks. A glacial outburst like this occurs when an ice dam holding back a lake - in this case Suicide Basin - collapses from the summer heat, releasing the water in a short period of time. Suicide Basin is part of the Mendenhall Glacier, a popular tourist destination easily reached from Juneau. Federal scientists say climate change is causing the glacier to melt faster, along with altering rainfall patterns, exacerbating the danger. The first recorded outburst flood from the glacier happened 2011, according to the National Weather Service. Because the flooding has been a growing concern for Juneau over the past several years, city officials with federal assistance installed emergency flood barriers along several miles of riverbanks in the areas deemed most at risk for being overtopped. Although the new barriers are designed to hold back a flood of this potential magnitude, officials have asked residents to evacuate as a precaution. Compared to the rest of the country, Alaska has warmed twice as fast over the last several decades, and its average annual temperature has risen 3.1 degrees Fahrenheit in the past century, according to the federal National Centers for Environmental Information. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Glacial outburst' threatens Alaska city, prompts evacuations
