In this special News of the North presentation, officials from the City and Borough of Juneau, National Weather Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska and other agencies brief the public on preparations for a possible 2026 glacial lake outburst flood.

National Weather Service hydrologist Aaron Jacobs provides an update on conditions in Suicide Basin and says the basin could reach full capacity between Aug. 1 and Aug. 9. Officials explain Juneau’s expanded evacuation advisory area, which includes more than 1,900 residences, and outline the “ready, set, go” alert system residents should follow.

The briefing also covers new evacuation maps, emergency shelter plans, temporary flood barriers, water pumps, sandbag distribution, bridge and trail closures, drone monitoring, and the deployment of emergency personnel on both sides of the Mendenhall River. Officials emphasize that the flood barriers are temporary protective measures and urge residents in the evacuation area to leave when an evacuation advisory is issued.

The program includes questions from local news organizations about barrier monitoring, possible breach scenarios, emergency declarations, transportation planning, and the continuing search for a long-term flood mitigation solution.

For a complete list of resources, visit our website.