Background Articles

In Southeast Alaska, the changing climate means more deadly landslides, and in Anchorage, more heavy-snowfall events, according to Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy’s report.

Landslides have killed at least 12 Alaskans in the past decade and destroyed homes and critical infrastructure.

An additional half an inch of rain could fall through the end of the week as Anchorage is seeing one of its wettest summers on record.

This region endured similar major floods in 1922, 1942 and 1957 though the current disaster was "extraordinary and all previous 'records' have been surpassed," she added.The Ural River flooded Russia's Orenburg region in particular, while the Ishim — which feeds the Siberian regions of Tyumen and Omsk, and northern Kazakhstan — also burst its banks.

A whopping 132.6 inches of snow -- more than 11 feet -- fell on the city this winter, as of the latest measurement Friday.

Ahead of Wednesday’s anticipated severe weather, county officials are making some important announcements.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) has issued an updated damage report from Tuesday and Wednesday’s severe weather. According to MEMA, one person in Grenada County died. Six were injured, two of which were in Scott County. Details regarding where the other four injuries took place have not been released...

An infrasound avalanche detection system, previously used for monitoring volcanoes and nuclear tests, is being installed in Juneau to improve avalanche mitigation and road safety.

Chugach forecasters issue warnings of high avalanche danger following a fatal incident and two non-fatal close calls in the mountains.

The state is seeking new support from FEMA and other partners to expand studies of landslide risks on Wrangell Island and elsewhere in Alaska.

NASA's PACE satellite, designed to study ocean biology in unprecedented detail, has been successfully launched to enhance understanding of Earth's changing climate and improve weather forecasting.

Juneau shatters snow record for Jan. 22; forecaster says avalanches “could begin to endanger homes.”

Juneau's history of deadly landslides, particularly the 1936 disaster that killed multiple residents, is a testament to the region's susceptibility to such events, which may increase with changing weather patterns.

The U.S. experiences extreme cold as the rest of the world faces unusual warmth, a pattern scientists attribute to climate change.

Officials in Anchorage suggest residents consider shoveling their roofs due to record snowfall and the potential for more, along with concerns about ice dams and roof stress.

The Wrangell landslide tragedy underscores Alaska's challenge in landslide prediction due to insufficient monitoring and data collection.

Otto Florschutz, a candidate in the 2022 U.S. House special election, was found dead following a landslide in Wrangell, Alaska, that also claimed the lives of four members of the Heller family.

Anchorage faces record snowfalls and plowing challenges, raising concerns about its preparedness for future extreme precipitation events linked to climate change.

Alaska communities are facing significant challenges due to climate change, including the disappearance of snow crabs, threats to subsistence hunting and fishing, and difficulties in processing and storing food, but some communities are taking action and developing local climate adaptation plans with the support of funding and collaboration between different governments and agencies.

Four unsheltered people, two of whom were in wheelchairs, have died outdoors in Anchorage over the past week as winter weather hits the city, highlighting the ongoing issue of homelessness and the need for preventative measures.