An active Recap of this year's prognostications....
Jessica: November 17th @ 5 pm
George: November 27th @ 5 pm
Sheriff Dave: December 2nd @ noon
Michael: December 4th @ noon
Mark: December 7th at 5 pm
Mark: January 18th @ 4:30 pm
Printable View
An active Recap of this year's prognostications....
Jessica: November 17th @ 5 pm
George: November 27th @ 5 pm
Sheriff Dave: December 2nd @ noon
Michael: December 4th @ noon
Mark: December 7th at 5 pm
Mark: January 18th @ 4:30 pm
Not unless they open it for a few hours later today ! ? It looks clear up there at the moment, but that storm is right on schedule. The weather link above is for Lee Vining at an elevation of 6780ft, but by the east kiosk [ almost 10,000ft ] they predict the possibilty of up to 16 inches of new snow !
Starting to get interesting !
Yes the weather forecast for Tioga Pass is for some degree of snow from now through Monday. On the webcam you can see snow at the higher elevations. YNP website now has Mariposa Grove and Hetch Hetchy roads in the "call" category. CA can always use the water from snow pack so snow is good news.
Jessica
That link is actually a point forecast for Tioga Pass. Current conditions are for Lee Vining.
More snow forecast today, but with only an inch of new snow for the Tioga Pass entry station. There are no reports available for the current snow depth at this location, although at the Meadows there is reported to be about 7 inches. With the weather set fair for a few days after today, I would have thought [predicted] it would be a pretty straight forward re-opening towards the weekend based on previous years.
However............... This statement from within the park may suggest otherwise.
Not sure if that's an 'off the cuff' remark or they know something we don't ? Long term weather forecast, budget reasons ?Quote:
(On the other hand, the recent weather means the Tioga and Glacier Point Roads probably won't reopen.)
Watch this space !
Caltrans says:
Quote:
SR 120
[IN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AREA & SIERRA NEVADA]
IS CLOSED FROM CRANE FLAT (TUOLUMNE CO) TO THE TUOLUMNE/MONO CO LINE
/TIOGA PASS/ - DUE TO SNOW - MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO USE AN ALTERNATE ROUTE
IS CLOSED FROM THE TUOLUMNE/MONO CO LINE TO 5 MI WEST OF THE JCT OF US 395
/TIOGA PASS/ (MONO CO) - FOR THE WINTER - MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO USE AN
ALTERNATE ROUTE
And so it begins....
CALTRANS and the NPS rarely agree on the exact timing of the closure of the road... But "...FOR THE WINTER..." certainly seems like it has happened.
Mark
It looks glorious up there today with little snow on the ground and yet it remains closed.
A storm is due to hit Weds bringing gusty winds and snow storms with another one due to hit Friday. That might be enough for them to 'call it' for this season perhaps.
Dave.
I'll put in another date -- Dec. 17th at 4 pm (which is very close to the date the road reopened last winter).
Jessica
The entrance station is right on the Tuolumne/Mono county line, right? The Caltrans site still says the same thing - that tells me that Caltrans has given up on the road outside of the park.
Yeah, but CalTrans isn't the designee for the determining the official close of the road for the purposes of the Tioga Pass Prognosticators..
Mark
I realize that. Just saying that in my opinion, it's not reopening till spring.
Nice weather today... if you're a polar bear
http://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog/...l_11-28-12.jpg
Photo courtesy of the Yosemite Conservancy
The snow is already starting to lay and with storms producing up to 20 inches of new snow by the weekend it looks as though it's game over. Accompanied by gusty winds of up to 65mph, it's not gonna be nice up there !
We await an official verdict before any call can be made. As it stands it looks as though the official closing date would be around the 8/9th November. It doesn't looks as though anyone got close to that date.
Dave.
One of my colleagues was up at Yosemite for the Thanksgiving week, with his family. They wanted to take Tioga Road and were told "Nope, it's closed for the season!" by the ranger.
He was still trying to remember when the ranger told him that, but it doesn't matter anyway -- he didn't have the date when it actually "closed for the season".
Donna
No sign of an official announcement confirming the date of closure as yet.
The chances of it reopening are getting slimmer by the day.
Latest image from Sentinel dome.
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...Novenber29.jpg
With these conditions and this forecast, I'm convinced it's done for!
The forecast just a little further west past the entry station reports there could be an extra 10 inches of snow layed down on Sunday, meaning a possible 19inches in a day !!
Weather report. [link might be 'live' and updated]
Quote:
Sunday Snow showers. The snow could be heavy at times. High near 37. Breezy, with a south southwest wind around 25 mph, with gusts as high as 45 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 13 to 19 inches possible.
Did you see those wind gusts up to 100 mph in the forecast? Yikes!
I'll get me kite !! [NOT]
Weather centre.
Dave.Quote:
Sunday Rain and snow, becoming all snow after 10am. High near 37. Strong and damaging winds, with a southwest wind 75 to 80 mph, with gusts as high as 120 mph.
Not only will that create huge snowdrifts, that will blow trees down! I bet they will have a mess to clean up in the spring.
It looks like a beautiful day up on the pass right now with blue skies and just a dusting of snow on top of the peaks ! Snow depth reports are very patchy and 'all over the place' at the moment. The most recent report from the Meadows are a satellite report of 11 inches and the last computed report stating 49.5 inches ! I would tend to go with the satellite ! [No data from the east entry station]
No updates from the official site so the wait goes on !
Dabe.
The storms were called the 'pineapple express" and they have warmer temperatures and higher snow lines than arctic storms.
Yosemite National park released a statement on December 3 declaring Tioga Pass officially closed for the season. However they have not updated the official Opening and closing dates page as of now, so we are non the wiser on when it was officially last open to traffic.
I have asked them the question, so hopefully it will remind someone to update it soon !
Dave.
The little nudge may have worked, the closure date was confirmed and the opening/closures page has now been updated on the Yosemite site.
The winter closing date for 2012 is November 8 !!
I'm sorry to say there is no prize winner for this contest. The closest we got was myself, when I predicted November 2nd way back in May. [Hmm better double check !!]
Keep you eyes peeled, as it won't be long before we start thinking about the Spring 2013 Prognosticator.
Dave.
[It worked. I actually just got a thanks from Yosemite for the reminder ! lol
The Sheriff delivers!
Nice work Dave.
So... Jessica doesn't three-peat. And no dcTPP either!
Nice TPP everyone!
Mark
A video from Yosemite Nature notes series that gives an insight into this winter wonderland !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Omu7JqqTgqI
The Yosemite winter Rangers have arrived at the Meadows and have just issued the first report for this winter. They are reporting an average depth of 19inches. http://www.nps.gov/yose/blogs/tmconditions.htm
Attachment 3562
Dave.
The "hump" is starting to form!
http://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog/...l-12-22-12.jpg
Photo Courtesy of the Yosemite Conservancy
And so now the process begins anew. Click here for the 15th running of the Tioga Pass Prognosticator....