Honestly, if you're checking the weather forecast for Juneau and expecting a simple "sunny" or "rainy" icon to tell the whole story, you’re setting yourself up for a surprise. Juneau isn't just a city; it’s a 3,000-square-mile puzzle of fjords, ice fields, and rainforest. You’ve probably heard it’s wet. That’s an understatement. But the nuance of how that wetness hits—and how it changes from the airport to downtown—is what actually matters when you're trying to pack a suitcase or plan a hike up Mount Roberts.
Right now, as of mid-January 2026, we are looking at a classic Southeast Alaska winter transition. The current temperature is sitting right at 35°F. It’s a bit of a "neither here nor there" temperature. East winds are barely moving at 3 mph, and the humidity is a thick 76%. It’s cloudy. It’s always kinda cloudy this time of year. But the real story is in the shift coming over the next few days.
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Why the Juneau Forecast is Harder to Predict Than You Think
Forecasting here is a nightmare for computer models. You’ve got the Gastineau Channel acting like a wind tunnel and the Juneau Icefield dumping cold air from the heights. Most people get caught off guard because the airport (where the "official" numbers come from) often tells a totally different story than downtown Juneau. While the airport might see a dusting of snow, downtown could be getting drenched in 45-degree rain.
This weekend, Saturday, January 17, is looking pretty steady. We’re expecting a high of 38°F and a low of 34°F. It’s going to stay cloudy, with just a 10% chance of rain. Honestly, that’s about as "benign" as Juneau gets in January. But don't let the calm fool you.
The Deep Freeze is Coming
If you’re sticking around into next week, the weather forecast for Juneau shows a sharp downward turn. We’re moving from those mid-30s "slush" temperatures into a true Alaskan chill.
- Monday, Jan 19: High of 35°F, dropping to 29°F at night.
- Wednesday, Jan 21: We hit the freezing mark with a high of 30°F and a low of 24°F.
- Friday, Jan 23: This is the kicker. The high is only 17°F, and the low is plummeting to 6°F.
That’s a 20-degree drop in just a few days. If you’re visiting, this is when that "layering" advice everyone gives you stops being a suggestion and starts being a survival tactic.
Microclimates and the Mendenhall Effect
The Mendenhall Glacier is its own weather maker. Because that massive slab of ice creates its own "glacier wind," it’s often 10 to 15 degrees colder near the visitor center than it is at your hotel downtown. If the forecast says 38°F, expect 25°F at the glacier.
Then there’s the "Taku Winds." These are high-speed gravity winds that scream down from the icefield. They can turn a calm day into a 60-mph gale in a heartbeat. Local pilots and sailors respect the Taku more than almost any other weather phenomenon here.
How to Actually Prepare for a Juneau Winter
Forget umbrellas. Seriously. In Juneau, an umbrella is just a broken piece of plastic waiting to happen. The wind will catch it, or the "horizontal rain" will just go under it anyway.
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Basically, you need a "shell." A high-quality, waterproof (not water-resistant) jacket with a hood is the only way to go. Under that, you want wool or fleece. Why wool? Because it stays warm even when it gets soaked, and in Juneau, you will get soaked eventually.
- Footwear: Sturdy, waterproof boots are non-negotiable. The slush on the sidewalks in January is like a deep-freeze slurpee for your feet.
- Daylight: Keep in mind that the sun is only up for about 7 hours right now. It rises around 8:30 AM and ducks behind the mountains by 3:45 PM.
- Driving: If you're renting a car, watch out for "black ice" near the bridges. With temperatures hovering near 32°F all week, the roads melt and re-freeze constantly.
The weather forecast for Juneau is always a moving target. While the next few days look quiet and cloudy, the incoming cold snap by the 23rd means you should be checking your pipes if you live here or double-checking your flight status if you're leaving.
Actionable Next Steps:
Keep a close eye on the thermometer as we head toward Wednesday. If you have outdoor plans, move them to Sunday or Monday before the deep freeze sets in on Thursday. If you're heading to the Eaglecrest Ski Area, the dropping temperatures later in the week will likely mean better, drier powder, but you'll need to pack extra face protection for those 6°F nights.