Juneau sets another snowfall record with 7.3" inches Tuesday; government, schools open Wednesday

Mark Sabbatini

Mar 4

2 min read

Avalanche advisory remains in effect; forecast issued at 7:30 a.m. calls for 2-4" more snow during the day; Thane Road reopened at 9 a.m.

By Mark Sabbatini

Juneau Independent

This is a developing story.

It’s enough snow to cause concern, not cancellations.

"Yesterday, March 3rd, Juneau International Airport broke another daily snowfall record by recording 7.3 inches of accumulation," the National Weather Service Juneau reported in a Facebook post at 6 a.m. Wednesday. "This beats a record of 7.0 inches set back in 1971 for the day. That makes now 2 new record daily snowfall records for Juneau in less than a week."

Juneau received a record 9.6 inches of snow on Saturday.

School and Capital Transit buses are on winter routes Wednesday, and the latter isn’t making stops between the Federal Building and Bartlett Regional Hospital due to an avalanche advisory issued by the City and Borough of Juneau. However, city and state offices, schools and the University of Alaska Southeast are operating.

An avalanche advisory — but not a recommendation for people to evacuate homes in at-risk areas — remains in effect. Thane Road reopened at 9 a.m. Wednesday, after it was closed at the avalanche gate at 6 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities.

"Upon reopening, motorists should be prepared for difficult road conditions until a plow can make it out to clear the area," DOT announced in a statement, adding the state plans to plow the road Wednesday.

A weather service forecast issued at about 7:30 a.m. Wednesday calls for two to four inches more snow Wednesday, with a winter storm warning in effect until noon. The extended forecast calls for the possibility of rain mixed with snow through early next week.

• Contact Mark Sabbatini at editor@juneauindependent.com or (907) 957-2306.