Storm could push Juneau and Gustavus creeks back toward flood stage Tuesday

A strong storm arriving Monday night is forecast to drop 2 to 4 inches of rain on Juneau and Gustavus, and creeks that reached or neared flood stage Friday could do so again, the National Weather Service in Juneau said Saturday.

Moderate to heavy rain is expected for most of Tuesday, bringing "significant and rapid rises on small creeks and streams," forecasters said in a hydrologic outlook. They expect impacts similar to Friday's storm. Water could also pond on roads and in places that drain poorly.

On Friday, Montana Creek in Juneau's Mendenhall Valley reached 14.74 feet, just over its 14.5-foot flood stage, the level where water starts running over the low-water crossing on Montana Creek Road. In Gustavus, the Salmon River rose past its 15.5-foot flood stage late Friday morning, crested around noon and dropped back by early afternoon.

Jordan Creek, which runs past Jordan Square, was forecast to fill its banks Friday. If it reaches its 9.7-foot flood stage, up to a foot of water would cover Jordan Square's parking lots and the area around the Jordan Creek office condominiums, and some driveways would be cut off, according to the weather service's flood advisory.

Friday was at least the third time since September that Montana Creek topped the Montana Creek Road crossing. It crested at 14.8 feet on Oct. 4 and rose over the crossing in early September, Alaska News reported.

The storm will hit other northern Southeast communities, too. Forecasters expect 3 to 6 inches in Yakutat, Sitka, Pelican and Elfin Cove, with the most near Yakutat, and 2 to 3 inches along Icy Strait, including Hoonah. Those totals are uncommon for this time of year but not historically extreme, the weather service said.

Forecasters said the rain totals will likely change as the storm gets closer.