The National Weather Service in Juneau has issued a flood warning for areas around Jordan Creek, Montana Creek and Auke Lake through early Friday morning as rainstorms remain stalled out over Juneau.
“We are already seeing minor impacts along Jordan Creek right now,” said meteorologist Nathan Compton. “We are just about approaching moderate flood levels. If you are anywhere near Jordan Creek, you should be taking some sort of action.”
An atmospheric river that reached the panhandle on Wednesday afternoon has already dumped several inches of rain over the region, with another 1 to 2 inches expected throughout Thursday afternoon and evening.
Up to one foot of flooding is possible for homes close to the banks, as water will continue to rise through the afternoon and evening. Pooling on roadways around Jordan Creek and some sections of Glacier Highway could create dangerous conditions.
The rain also has the potential to swamp boats. Boat owners should ensure that their bilge pumps are working properly.
Compton said that heavy rainstorms like this are typical for the early fall.
“September is our stormy period, it is typically when we see these higher rainfall amounts,” Compton said. “Wouldn’t say this is a top tier atmospheric river, but we are seeing some impacts.”
The heaviest rain is expected to let up by midnight on Friday morning, with flood waters cresting shortly after.
