Alaska slammed by atmospheric river as summer cruise season revs up
The worst of the rainfall drenched Ketchikan from Tuesday into Wednesday, where nearly 7 inches of rain fell in less than 36 hours. That's on top of the 1.5 inches that fell Monday. Steady rains were still falling early Wednesday afternoon.
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KETCHIKAN, Alaska – Those heading up to Alaska for a late spring cruise this week got a heaping dose of weather reality as an atmospheric river brings several inches of rain to one of the most popular ports of call in the "Last Frontier."
The jet stream tapped into a bountiful plume of tropical moisture and has been steering it into southeastern Alaska and northwestern British Columbia since the start of the week, creating days of heavy rains across the region.
The worst of the rainfall drenched Ketchikan from Tuesday into Wednesday, where nearly 7 inches of rain fell in less than 36 hours. That's on top of the 1.5 inches that fell Monday. Steady rains were still falling early Wednesday afternoon, with forecasts of continued rain at times through the end of the week, though lighter than Wednesday.
It's poor timing for the tens of thousands of cruise ship passengers who pass through Ketchikan during cruise season. The Port of Ketchikan website showed 30 ships are scheduled to make port in Ketchikan just this week.
FILE - Cruise ships in harbor of Ketchikan in Southeast Alaska, USA. (Photo by Wolfgang via Getty Images)
(Kaehler/LightRocket / Getty Images)
Cruise passengers shouldn't have expected sunshine and 80 degrees anyway on an Alaskan cruise – southeastern Alaska is home to some of the wettest towns in America and Ketchikan averages about 150 inches of rain per year.
However, this recent rain is even heavy by Ketchikan standards.
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Factoring in Wednesday's rain so far, Ketchikan will be about a foot above average for rainfall in May. Since Jan. 1, the city has received about 70 inches of rain, which is more than the average annual rainfall for just about every city in the Lower 48, except for some towns along the Washington and northern Oregon coast.
Flooded road between Signal Creek Campground and the parking area on the south side of the Ward Creek bridge in the Ward Lake Recreation Area in Ketchikan on May 28, 2025.
(Tongass National Forest / US Forest Service / FOX Weather)
Local officials reported a landslide covered Walden Point Road in Metlakatla just south of Ketchikan, while some roads were also flooded along Signal Creek.
Good news for cruise passengers who happen to be reaching Ketchikan later in the week: The forecast is significantly drier.