Latest news with #JuneauOfficials
CTV News
4 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
A glacier outburst is underway in Alaska. It could send a wave of water downstream toward Juneau
A wave of water gushing out of an Alaskan glacier is threatening significant, potentially record-breaking flooding in the state capital of Juneau for the third consecutive August. 'A glacial outburst has occurred at Suicide Basin. The basin is releasing and flooding is expected along Mendenhall Lake and River,' Juneau officials said in a Tuesday news release. 'Officials recommend residents in the 17ft lake level inundation zone evacuate the area until the flood waters recede.' Glacial lake outbursts happen when a lake of melting snow and ice and rain 'drains rapidly — like pulling out the plug in a full bathtub' after pooling up so high it overtops the glacier that holds it back, according to the city of Juneau. In this case, it's due to the Mendenhall Glacier and its counterpart, dubbed Suicide Basin, which run up against the western portion of Juneau, about 10 miles from the city's centre. The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for the area Tuesday morning, noting the Mendenhall River, which runs along the west side of the city, will rise multiple feet by Wednesday. The river entered major flood stage — Level 4 of 4 — early Wednesday, topping 14 feet. It's expected to crest at around 16.6 feet late Wednesday morning, which would eclipse the record crest set just last August. The river pulled in large trees as it rose, making conditions even more hazardous. 'It's very dangerous right now. Stay away if you can,' said Andrew Park, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Juneau, warning any mariners in the area to 'keep your eyes peeled for big trees.' Waters rose quickly after the glacial outburst began late Tuesday morning. Significant flooding was reported in the Mendenhall Lake that evening, with more than three feet of water gathering in some areas, according to the National Weather Service. Last year's glacier outburst caused the river to surge to 15.99 feet, unleashing destructive flooding in Juneau that impacted more than 100 homes. City officials characterized the flood severity as 'unprecedented.' The river level in 2024 topped the one reached during 2023's early August glacial flood by a full foot. Officials urge residents to prepare Juneau installed a flood barrier along the area that was inundated in 2024, a city spokesperson told CNN. There are roughly 1,000 residents and businesses in that part of the city, but no mandatory evacuations are in place at this time, the spokesperson said. Officials are urging everyone in the inundation area to evacuate before river levels peak. 'This is likely to become a life-threatening situation. If you are told to evacuate, stop what you are doing and immediately go to an emergency shelter or another safe location,' said Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski in an X post Tuesday. On Sunday, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy issued a preemptive disaster declaration to better streamline emergency response efforts to the outburst. 'By issuing this declaration before the flood occurs, we can position state resources and personnel in advance to support local and tribal governments in their efforts to protect lives, homes, and essential services,' Dunleavy said in a statement. 'Our goal is to act early to reduce impacts and preserve community safety.' The capital of Alaska, Juneau has a population of about 33,000, according to the the U.S. Census Bureau. The city is surrounded by coastal waters to the west and south. Why does this keep happening? The glacial lake outbursts have become a regular occurrence since 2011 and have worsened considerably each year since 2023. They are yet another consequence of climate change due to fossil fuel pollution. The Arctic, including Alaska, is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet as global temperatures rise. This is causing glaciers, like these in Alaska, to thin or melt altogether. Part of the once icy expanse of the Suicide Basin has been replaced by an earthen divot that gets filled up like a bathtub each summer, setting the sequence in motion. Rising temperatures have severely reduced the expanse of the Mendenhall Glacier and its Suicide Basin, creating the annual glacial lake outbreak hazard as ice gets replaced by liquid water.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Residents in Alaska's capital urged to evacuate over flooding threat from melting glacier
Hundreds of residents in Alaska's capital of Juneau have been urged to evacuate over an imminent glacial flood threat. On Tuesday, Juneau officials said on Facebook that there was a glacial outburst at Suicide Basin, a side basin of the Mendenhall Glacier above Juneau, according to the National Weather Service. As the Mendenhall Glacier recedes in a warming climate, the basin has released glacier lake outburst floods that have caused an overflow of water along Mendenhall Lake and River every year since 2011. 'The basin is releasing and flooding is expected along Mendenhall Lake and River late Tuesday through Wednesday,' Juneau officials wrote in Tuesday's post. 'Residents are advised to evacuate the potential flood inundation area.' The Anchorage Daily News reported that more than 1,000 residents and businesses were placed under the evacuation alert. The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning until Thursday at 8 a.m. local time. The Mendenhall River is currently at 9.85 feet, and the major flood stage for the river is 14 feet. The service warned the river will crest at 16.6 feet at around 4 p.m. Wednesday. This forecasted flooding could break a record, which was set when the Mendenhall River crested at 15.99 feet in August 2024. Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy has issued a disaster declaration in response to the imminent glacial flood threat. 'By issuing this declaration before the flood occurs, we can position state resources and personnel in advance to support local and tribal governments in their efforts to protect lives, homes, and essential services,' Dunleavy said in a statement. 'Our goal is to act early to reduce impacts and preserve community safety.' The imminent record-breaking flood this summer follows two years of severe flooding, according to a press release from Alaska's Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, which announced Dunleavy's declaration. After last year's devastating flooding, which damaged homes and public infrastructure, two miles of flood control barriers along the Mendenhall River were installed. 'I really do feel like we are prepared this year,' Juneau Manager Katie Koester told The Washington Post. 'I'm really hoping that we'll have a success story by Thursday.'
The Independent
4 days ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Residents in Alaska's capital urged to evacuate over flooding from melting glacier
Hundreds of residents in Alaska 's capital of Juneau have been urged to evacuate over an imminent glacial flood threat. On Tuesday, Juneau officials said on Facebook that there was a glacial outburst at Suicide Basin, a side basin of the Mendenhall Glacier above Juneau, according to the National Weather Service. As the Mendenhall Glacier recedes in a warming climate, the basin has released glacier lake outburst floods that have caused an overflow of water along Mendenhall Lake and River every year since 2011. 'The basin is releasing and flooding is expected along Mendenhall Lake and River late Tuesday through Wednesday,' Juneau officials wrote in Tuesday's post. 'Residents are advised to evacuate the potential flood inundation area.' The Anchorage Daily News reported that more than 1,000 residents and businesses were placed under the evacuation alert. The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning until Thursday at 8 a.m. local time. The Mendenhall River is currently at 9.85 feet, and the major flood stage for the river is 14 feet. The service warned the river will crest at 16.6 feet at around 4 p.m. Wednesday. This forecasted flooding could break a record, which was set when the Mendenhall River crested at 15.99 feet in August 2024. Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy has issued a disaster declaration in response to the imminent glacial flood threat. 'By issuing this declaration before the flood occurs, we can position state resources and personnel in advance to support local and tribal governments in their efforts to protect lives, homes, and essential services,' Dunleavy said in a statement. 'Our goal is to act early to reduce impacts and preserve community safety.' The imminent record-breaking flood this summer follows two years of severe flooding, according to a press release from Alaska's Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, which announced Dunleavy's declaration. After last year's devastating flooding, which damaged homes and public infrastructure, two miles of flood control barriers along the Mendenhall River were installed. 'I really do feel like we are prepared this year,' Juneau Manager Katie Koester told The Washington Post. 'I'm really hoping that we'll have a success story by Thursday.'
CNN
4 days ago
- Climate
- CNN
A glacier outburst is underway in Alaska. It could send a wave of water surging toward Juneau
A wave of water gushing out of an Alaskan glacier is threatening significant, potentially record-breaking flooding in Juneau for the third consecutive August. 'A glacial outburst has occurred at Suicide Basin. The basin is releasing and flooding is expected along Mendenhall Lake and River late Tuesday through Wednesday,' Juneau officials said in a Tuesday news release. 'Officials recommend residents in the 17ft lake level inundation zone evacuate the area until the flood waters recede.' Glacial lake outbursts happen when a lake of melting snow and ice and rain 'drains rapidly — like pulling out the plug in a full bathtub' after pooling up so high it overtops the glacier that holds it back, according to the city of Juneau. In this case, it's due to the Mendenhall Glacier and its counterpart, dubbed Suicide Basin, which run up against the western portion of Juneau, about 10 miles from the city's center. The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for the area Tuesday morning, noting the Mendenhall River, which runs along the west side of the city, will rise multiple feet Tuesday and Wednesday. The river is set to crest around 16.6 feet Wednesday afternoon, which would blow past the record level set just last August. Last year's glacier outburst caused the river to surge to 15.99 feet, unleashing destructive flooding in Juneau that impacted more than 100 homes. City officials characterized the flood severity as 'unprecedented.' The river level in 2024 topped the one reached during 2023's early August glacial flood by a full foot. Juneau installed a flood barrier along the area that was inundated in 2024, a city spokesperson told CNN. There are roughly 1,000 residents and businesses in that part of the city, but no mandatory evacuations are in place at this time, the spokesperson said. Officials are urging everyone in the inundation area to evacuate before river levels peak. The Mendenhall River was very close to moderate flood stage — Level 3 of 4 — not long after the glacial outburst began late Tuesday morning. Major flood stage — Level 4 of 4 — is forecast to begin early Wednesday afternoon and continue until around midnight, local time, before water starts to recede on Thursday. The glacial lake outbursts have become a regular occurrence since 2011 and have worsened considerably each year since 2023. They are yet another consequence of climate change due to fossil fuel pollution. The Arctic, including Alaska, is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet as global temperatures rise. This is causing glaciers, like these in Alaska, to thin or melt altogether. Part of the once icy expanse of the Suicide Basin has been replaced by an earthen divot that gets filled up like a bathtub each summer, setting the sequence in motion. Rising temperatures have severely reduced the expanse of the Mendenhall Glacier and its Suicide Basin, creating the annual glacial lake outbreak hazard as ice gets replaced by liquid water. CNN's Eric Zerkel and Amanda Musa contributed to this report.
CNN
4 days ago
- Climate
- CNN
A glacier outburst is underway in Alaska. It could send a wave of water surging toward Juneau
A wave of water gushing out of an Alaskan glacier is threatening significant, potentially record-breaking flooding in Juneau for the third consecutive August. 'A glacial outburst has occurred at Suicide Basin. The basin is releasing and flooding is expected along Mendenhall Lake and River late Tuesday through Wednesday,' Juneau officials said in a Tuesday news release. 'Officials recommend residents in the 17ft lake level inundation zone evacuate the area until the flood waters recede.' Glacial lake outbursts happen when a lake of melting snow and ice and rain 'drains rapidly — like pulling out the plug in a full bathtub' after pooling up so high it overtops the glacier that holds it back, according to the city of Juneau. In this case, it's due to the Mendenhall Glacier and its counterpart, dubbed Suicide Basin, which run up against the western portion of Juneau, about 10 miles from the city's center. The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for the area Tuesday morning, noting the Mendenhall River, which runs along the west side of the city, will rise multiple feet Tuesday and Wednesday. The river is set to crest around 16.6 feet Wednesday afternoon, which would blow past the record level set just last August. Last year's glacier outburst caused the river to surge to 15.99 feet, unleashing destructive flooding in Juneau that impacted more than 100 homes. City officials characterized the flood severity as 'unprecedented.' The river level in 2024 topped the one reached during 2023's early August glacial flood by a full foot. Juneau installed a flood barrier along the area that was inundated in 2024, a city spokesperson told CNN. There are roughly 1,000 residents and businesses in that part of the city, but no mandatory evacuations are in place at this time, the spokesperson said. Officials are urging everyone in the inundation area to evacuate before river levels peak. The Mendenhall River was very close to moderate flood stage — Level 3 of 4 — not long after the glacial outburst began late Tuesday morning. Major flood stage — Level 4 of 4 — is forecast to begin early Wednesday afternoon and continue until around midnight, local time, before water starts to recede on Thursday. The glacial lake outbursts have become a regular occurrence since 2011 and have worsened considerably each year since 2023. They are yet another consequence of climate change due to fossil fuel pollution. The Arctic, including Alaska, is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet as global temperatures rise. This is causing glaciers, like these in Alaska, to thin or melt altogether. Part of the once icy expanse of the Suicide Basin has been replaced by an earthen divot that gets filled up like a bathtub each summer, setting the sequence in motion. Rising temperatures have severely reduced the expanse of the Mendenhall Glacier and its Suicide Basin, creating the annual glacial lake outbreak hazard as ice gets replaced by liquid water. CNN's Eric Zerkel and Amanda Musa contributed to this report.
