A “glacial lake outburst,” in which water gushes from a glacial lake after pooling to the point of overflow, is threatening Juneau, Alaska for the third consecutive August. AccuWeather reports that the outburst, which began Tuesday, has caused”record-breaking water levels” this week. Thankfully, so far, Juneau’s flood barriers have been able to contain the outburst and prevent disaster.
“The outburst began Tuesday at Suicide Basin, a glacial lake attached to the Mendenhall Glacier that runs up against the western portion of Juneau, about 10 miles from the city’s center,” AccuWeather says. “The basin formed as parts of its glacier melted and retreated and now acts like a giant bucket, filling up with rain, snow and ice that slowly melts over the summer. Eventually, Suicide Basin gets so full that it escapes the surrounding ice of the Mendenhall Glacier. When that happens, water gushes out into the nearby Mendenhall Lake and eventually surges down the river.”
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The Mendenhall River apparently rose more than 7 feet in less than 24 hours yesterday, reaching 16.65 feet and breaking the previous high-level record of 15.99 feet. The city ordered evacuations, but officials believe the worst threat of is now over. In past years, glacial outbursts have destroyed homes.
See AccuWeather’s report and footage of the “glacial lake outburst” in Juneau, Alaska here:
Header stock image by Christopher S. Miller for The Washington Post via Getty Images. Caption: “A bus crosses a bridge over the Mendenhall River with Mendenhall Glacier on the horizon in Juneau, Alaska on August 8, 2023. A record glacial outburst flood destroyed and condemned homes in Alaska’s capital city.”