Thane Road closing again at noon Tuesday due to avalanche risk as heavy rain, high winds of 70+ mph forecast
- Mark Sabbatini
- 14 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Total rainfall of 1.5" to 3.5" possible in parts of Southeast Alaska, according to National Weather Service
By Mark Sabbatini
Juneau Independent
This is a developing story.
Heavy rain and gale-force winds are expected in Juneau on Tuesday, prompting advisories from public agencies and the announced closure of Thane Road beginning at noon and lasting until at least 6 a.m. Wednesday.
The closure is due to avalanche risk following heavy snow since the end of December that was then followed by record rainfall during the past weekend, causing unstable slope conditions, according to the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities.
"If a natural avalanche reaches the roadway, DOT&PF may not be able to safely remove avalanche debris until conditions improve through mitigation work or a natural decrease in avalanche hazard," a post at DOT’s Facebook page at 5:17 p.m. Monday states.
The Behrends slide path beneath Mount Juneau also remains under an avalanche evacuation advisory as of Monday, City Manager Katie Koester said during a briefing about storm-related developments to the Juneau Assembly at its meeting at City Hall. A shelter at Centennial Hall will remain open while such advisories are in effect.
All Juneau public schools will be open Tuesday, according to Kristin Bartlett, chief of staff for the Juneau School District. However, she noted there is no parking on Glacier Highway for high school students with vehicles, and buses cannot stop at the following locations: • 5th Street in Douglas
• Thane Road
• Glacier Avenue/Glacier Highway between Highland Drive and Bartlett Regional Hospital
• Any trailer parks
• Mendenhall Peninsula Road.
The City and Borough of Juneau announced Monday the municipal recycling center in Lemon Creek will be closed until at least Wednesday "due to a lack of storage space and inability for new storage containers to be delivered during the winter storm."
"RecycleWorks staff will use that time to continue digging out from snow and making space for new material," the notice states.
A high wind warning for most of Southeast Alaska is in effect between noon Tuesday and 9 p.m. Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. Sustained winds of 30 to 40 miles per hour, with gusts exceeding 70 miles per hour, are expected.
Heavy rain is also forecast Tuesday, according to the weather service.
"Total rainfall amounts will be around 1.5 to 3.5 inches with gusty winds up to 65 mph possible during the
event," a forecast updated at 3:39 p.m. Monday states. "The heaviest rainfall rates will occur during the afternoon and evening hours, tapering off during the overnight hours. Strongest wind gusts will follow the heaviest rain, occurring during the evening and overnight hours, then tapering off Wednesday morning."
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at editor@juneauindependent.com or (907) 957-2306.
