Tioga Pass Prognosticator 37. Spring opening competition!

It looks to be another beautiful day in Yosemite but it's all about to change. At 8000ft in elevation there is potential for another 36 inches of new snow accumulation possible over the weekend. There are reports of water running off the granite slabs and rivers beginning to open up as the temperatures became more Spring like, and reached into the 50's.

Here are a couple of great images captured by the Yosemite winter rangers over the last week.

Tioga lake and Lee vining canyon.
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...12-2024jpg.jpg

Looking at Mt Dana and Gibbs.
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...ch-13-2024.jpg

Great views!

Dave

And adding one from Yosemite Valley:

https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...t-09-52-47.png

Photo provided by and courtesy of The Yosemite Conservancy

March 21st at 09:55 am PDT

No storms yet -- but clouds are on the way, no doubt.

https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...t-08-43-18.png

Photo provided by and courtesy of The Yosemite Conservancy

March 22nd at 08:45 am PDT

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https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...t-08-28-31.png

Yep, clouds and fresh snow are back in play in the Sierra Nevadas!

March 23rd at 8:30 am PDT

A couple of days of sunshine ahead, before more heavy snow is predicted late Weds night/early hours of Thurs, which could continue on and off through to the weekend. A Possible accumulation of up to another 20 inches of fresh snow!

Dave

It's looking pleasant at the moment, but it looks as though it's about to change tomorrow morning.

Current view from the High Sierra webcam
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...sentinel-t.jpg

Quote:

---

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM FRIDAY TO 5 PM PDT
SUNDAY...

* WHAT...Heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 1 to 2
feet. Elevations above 8,000 feet could see local accumulations
up to 3 feet. Winds gusting as high as 50 mph.

* WHERE...Portions of central California.

* WHEN...From 11 AM Friday to 5 PM PDT Sunday.

* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult to impossible. The
hazardous conditions could impact the evening commute.

---

Dave

It's clear at the moment, although there is plenty of cloud clinging to the mountains and there are more snow showers expected. Using Half dome and the tree top on the right of the image, it's evident the snow depth has increased quite a bit this week.

https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...ch-30-2024.jpg

Dave

Wow, yes that is an incredible amount of fresh white stuff.

And here is one from today:
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...t-09-57-38.png
Photo provided by and courtesy of The Yosemite Conservancy

March 31st at 10:00 am PDT

And one more -- I wondered how Dave was getting the other image again--now I see how too!

https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog.../0331_1138.jpg
March 31st at 11:30 am PDT

April Fool's Day this is not!

https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog.../0401_1258.jpg

April 1st at 12:58 pm PDT

Mark

Lovely blue sky's in the last image, but Thursday is looking to bring in another 20 inches of fresh white powder!!

Dave

The human mole has been back and must have bumped the camera -- lost that nice focus again.

https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog.../0403_1609.jpg

Photo provided by and courtesy of The Yosemite Conservancy
April 3rd at 04:12 pm PDT

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Fresh snow is falling again!

https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog.../0404_0904.jpg

April 4th at 09:04 am PDT

---------------

This counts as SERIOUS SNOWING!

https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog.../0404_1604.jpg

April 4th at 04:04 pm PDT

---------------------------

And the sun returns to the high country!

https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog.../0406_1304.jpg

April 6th at 01:04 pm PDT

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Image quality has lost some of the focus again on both feeds.

https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...t-08-41-57.png

April 7th at 08:45 am PD

And one from the other feed.

https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog.../0407_1028.jpg

Photo provided by and courtesy of The Yosemite Conservancy

April 7th at 10:30 am PDT

It seems like Spring is arriving in the Sierra's this week with blue sunny sky's and temperatures reaching the mid 50C's at 8000ft. Yosemite Falls certainly appear to be coming alive with the Spring runoff beginning. There has been a lot of snow through March, well beyond average, and the temperatures have been below average which all suggests another good year for the water table. With snow surveys in Tuolumne Meadows showing the River drainage is likely to be 95-100% of average. That's good news following on from last winters record breaking season and should help maintain water levels at Mono lake.

Yosemite Falls
https://www.roadtripamerica.com/blog...yosfalls-t.jpg

Dave