Juneau, Alaska, was hammered with heavy snow to close out 2025. More than half the month's total snowfall happened in the last five days of the month, when 49 inches of snow fell.
Record-setting snowfall was part of an extreme winter weather pattern that contributed to the sinking of several large vessels in Juneau's harbor. Residents in surrounding communities are bracing for possible avalanches.
The Coastal Alaska Avalanche Center reported at least three avalanches during the last week of December in the state capital. All three avalanches occurred at elevations of 1,900 to 2,450 feet. Five more avalanches were observed during the first five days of 2026. The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities closed roads on New Year's Day for "hazard reduction work" being done to reduce the risk of avalanches.
"Our crews are running around the clock, using every dewatering pump available, and we are now rapidly running out of resources as conditions persist," Juneau Harbors posted on Facebook on New Year's Eve, per Fox Weather.
"Overnight, three additional large vessels completely sank, bringing the storm total to eight vessels lost so far. Dozens more have been saved thanks to the tireless efforts of Docks & Harbors staff and quick action by fellow harbor users and boat owners."
Juneau set a record for December snowfall, with 82 inches. That is four times the average for the month and nearly as much snow as the city sees in an entire winter. After a break last weekend, the first full week of 2026 started off with heavy snow.
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More than 7 inches of snow fell during the first five days of January. A winter storm warning was in effect Monday as heavy snow continued to fall in the region. The National Weather Service was forecasting up to 3 inches of snow Tuesday, with another 1-3 inches possible Tuesday night, followed by an additional 1-3 inches Wednesday.
Officials will continue to monitor the avalanche risk as an unsettled weather pattern is expected to persist through this week. "The overall pattern across southeast Alaska will remain fairly active with onshore flow and showers through the middle of the week and beyond," noted meteorologists with the Juneau National Weather Service office.
"An avalanche is a rapid flow of snow down a hill or mountainside," according to the National Weather Service. "While avalanches are sudden, there are typically a number of warning signs you can look for or feel before one occurs. In 90% of avalanche incidents, the snow slides are triggered by the victim or someone in the victim's party. Avalanches kill more than 150 people worldwide each year."
Some scientists believe our warming world will impact the rates of avalanche burial and survival.
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"Blunt trauma and secondary injuries will likely become more frequent as terrain roughness is expected to rise and snow cover to become thinner," concluded researchers who studied the effects of an overheating planet on avalanches. "Higher snow densities in avalanche debris will likely interfere with the respiration of completely buried victims. Asphyxia and trauma, as causes of avalanche death, may increase."
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