Avalanche danger continues to be high

• News Home
• More from News of the North

Wednesday, March 1st, 2023 2:55pm

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Messenger
• Share on Messenger
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Whatsapp

A photo of avalanche reduction.

Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - Tom Mattice, Emergency Program Manager for the City and Borough of Juneau, talked about avalanche danger in the midst of Juneau's blizzard.

"Avalanche danger will be high for the next 24 hours and we'll continue to see slide activity. The stronger the storm is, the more activity we'll see. As the storm diminishes overnight into tomorrow with decreasing winds and decreasing snowfall rates, activity will slow and yet danger remains for human triggered avalanches. We'll continue to see weakness over the next several days. This is a big storm with a lot of wind, and we're seeing a lot of activity and we'll continue to see activity for the next several days potentially," Mattice said.

Mattice said due to avalanche mitigation conducted Tuesday, he doubts that the avalanches will block roads. However, it's possible.

"We want people to be aware that avalanches are occurring. They're larger than average. Thank goodness D.O.T did avalanche control yesterday on main road or that concern would be even greater. But due to the fact that they didn't see a lot of deep instability yesterday and have cleared what we could, hopefully avalanches will continue to be smaller in nature," he said. "The  Behrend's has not slid yet, and the Behrend's Path continues to be dangerous. We continue to worry about the people in the urban environment. The hazard is still high and not extreme. We're not evacuating houses yet. Yet we encourage people to make their own decisions about how much time they spend in avalanche stream. If you feel that the avalanche danger is high and you can spend time elsewhere, it's not a bad idea."    

Mattice explained which areas to avoid.  

"The White Path, the Behrend's  Path the Flume and Perseverance trail all should be avoided right now. Down Thane road is a little bit better because D.O.T did control work there yesterday and yet dangers are building rapidly. This is a big storm with a lot of snow and the longer it persists and the more snow we get, the more people need to make their own  decisions," he said.   

    Mattice added how to report avalanches.

"Share your avalanche observations with the Coastal Alaska Avalanche Center. That helps us know what's going on throughout the region, so that we can catalog all these events and understand how widespread the danger is and how deep the instabilities are. So we really appreciate people who take the time to reach out to that website and share their information."

More from News of the North

• Governor Dunleavy names Board of Fisheries and Board of Game Appointees

  Anchorage, Alaska (KINY) - Governor Mike Dunleavy appointed four Alaskans to fill open seats on the Alaska Board of Game and the Alaska Board of Fisheries and made two reappointments to the Board of Game. All appointments begin on Jul. 1, 2023.

• Inadequate training and a fatal U-turn cost Alaska government $3 million, settlement documents say

  Juneau, Alaska (Alaska Beacon) - The state of Alaska will pay $3 million to the family of a man killed in a 2018 traffic accident caused when an Alaska state trooper made an abrupt U-turn in front of him.

• Anchorage couple indicted for fentanyl overdose of six-month-old infant

  Anchorage, Alaska (KINY) - On Tuesday, an Anchorage grand jury indicted Albert A. Clark and Eike M. Larson on a lead charge of assault in the first degree.

• Weyiouanna enters plea deal in 2018 stabbing murder

  Anchorage, Alaska (KINY) - Simon Weyiouanna pleaded guilty Mar. 31 to murder in the second degree for the 2018 stabbing death of Cheri Ingram. The State entered into a plea agreement with Mr. Weyiouanna for a sentence of 75 years with 25 suspended, and 50 years to serve.

• Alaska Native Scouts feted 67 years after rescuing Navy crew

  Gambell, Alaska (AP) - Bruce Boolowon, then a lean 20-year-old, and a group of friends were hunting for murre eggs in a walrus skin boat on a remote Alaska island in the Bering Strait when they saw a crippled airplane flying low.

• University of Alaska Anchorage Robotics the sole Alaska team to go to World Championship

  Anchorage, Alaska (KINY) - Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation’s 16th annual VEX Robotics World Championship will be back in Dallas to showcase the talent of student competitors from Apr. 25 to May 4.

• Update: Capital City Fire Rescue responded to a fatal structure fire, investigation ongoing

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - CCFR responded to a structure fire on Engineers Cutoff Rd. on Thursday, Mar. 30.

• Juneau Police Department investigates possible threat

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - On Friday, Mar. 31 at about 6:45 a.m., the Juneau Police Department received a report from a business in the 600 block of Willoughby Ave, regarding a note being found in the store that indicated a possible general threat against children.

• Official News of The North Retraction regarding SEACC and SEACC United

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - Yesterday afternoon, News of The North published a story regarding the Southeast Alaska Conversation Council or SEACC and SEACC United.

• Board of Education selects Frank Hauser as the next Superintendent

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - On Friday, Mar. 31, the Board of Education selected Frank Hauser to be the next Superintendent of the Juneau School District.

• Ketchikan Grand Jury indicts two young adults, one juvenile in 80 year old’s death after Facebook post

  Ketchikan, Alaska (KINY) - A Ketchikan grand jury indicted two young adults and one juvenile on multiple charges Thursday for the death of 80-year-old Lincoln Peratrovich on Mar. 21 in the community of Klawock on Prince of Wales Island, 56 miles from Ketchikan.

• Alaska Federation of Natives now accepting nominations for 2023 President's Awards

  Anchorage, Alaska (KINY) - The Alaska Federation of Natives is now accepting nominations for the annual President's Awards, which will be presented at the 2023 AFN Convention, Oct. 19-21, in Anchorage.