The National Weather Service office in Juneau is warning of significant winter weather on Tuesday afternoon, bringing heavy snow at first and rain later in the week.
A winter storm warning is in effect until 3 a.m. Thursday. The heaviest snowfall is expected Tuesday evening.
Up to 5 inches of snow are expected Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning. Wednesday afternoon that snow could turn to freezing rain, but ice is not expected to be a big problem.
Winter Storm Warnings & Advisories are in effect for portions of SE starting Tuesday afternoon. Greatest snowfall expected from Yakutat to Icy Strait/Juneau Tues night. #akwx Sitka & Angoon will see some accumulating snow before a change to rain, but below advisory criteria. pic.twitter.com/X3facbt5bC
— NWS Juneau (@NWSJuneau) February 1, 2022
On Thursday, there’s another round of snow, says Wes Adkins from the National Weather Service.
“This is a change,” Adkins said in a briefing Tuesday afternoon. “Initially we were looking at all rain, but now we’re seeing the cold air stick around. So it’s going to start as heavy wet snow. And I’ve put the emphasis on ‘heavy’ because that’s going to be heavy in weight as well.”
And then, the rain comes.
“That’s going to fall on this heavy wet mess and make it even messier,” Adkins said. “And that’s going to be difficult to manage on streets”
The extended forecast is showing rain through the weekend.
Avalanche danger is currently low for urban areas around Juneau, but with the rain and snow in the forecast, the city’s emergency manager expects to see avalanche danger go up. Natural avalanches are possible Wednesday through Friday.
