Contest : Tioga Pass Prognosticator 21.

[Southwest Dave]

After a bit of a thaw it looks as though another top up of the white stuff is due at the weekend !

Hazardous Weather Outlook
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
608 AM PST MON FEB 29 2016

CAZ096-097-011415-
SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON-
TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
608 AM PST MON FEB 29 2016

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF
THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA.

...SNOW RETURNING FOR LATE NEXT WEEKEND...

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: ONE TO TWO FEET POSSIBLE

* ELEVATION: ABOVE 7000 FEET

* TIMING: STARTING LATE SATURDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUING THROUGH
SUNDAY NIGHT

* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK...SEQUOIA AND KINGS
CANYON NATIONAL PARKS...SIERRA AND SEQUOIA NATIONAL FORESTS

* IMPACTS: SNOW COVERED ROADS WITH DANGEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS.

Dave.

[Southwest Dave]

Recent reports boast a snow pack of between 85 and 100% of average, which is a big step forward compared to recent winter conditions and near normal. Another top up of snow is forecast for this week, good news for the water table.

SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON-
TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
842 AM PST TUE MAR 8 2016

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF
THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA.

...MOUNTAIN SNOW...

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 6 TO 12 INCHES.

* ELEVATION: ABOVE 7000 FEET.

* TIMING: THURSDAY EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING.

* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK...SEQUOIA AND KINGS
CANYON NATIONAL PARKS...SIERRA AND SEQUOIA NATIONAL FORESTS.

* IMPACTS: SNOW COVERED ROADS WITH DANGEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS.]

The latest from the Sentinel Webcam.



Dave.

[DonnaR57]

Northern California was really hit/blessed by the last two storms, as seen above. We are hoping it means that some of the reservoirs will get a lot more water in them -- so many are looking really dreary! That next storm is supposed to be a doozy. We are expecting rain down here on Friday again, after getting a good rain and some hail (at work) yesterday.


Donna

[Southwest Dave]

A bright dry week forecast ahead but the settled snow depth at 8600feet is currently recorded at 57inches in Tuolumne meadows area. This was part of the weekly update for the Meadows posted today on the Yosemite site.

There were two storms this weekend which deposited a total of 21 inches of new snow here at 8,600 feet. High winds from the southwest accompanied the storms and above treeline the snow is very wind affected. There are some impressive snowdrifts exceeding twenty feet in depth along the Tioga Road in Lee Vining Canyon.

Could be quite a bit of clearing to do when the crews get to work.

Dave.

[Utahtea]

We were in Yosemite last month and I thought there would be a LOT more snow!

I'm going to put my guess in for May 20th at noon. That's my first niece's birthday.

Utahtea

[Mark Sedenquist]

Here is a nice shot of a green northern California and snow in the Sierras...

[Mark Sedenquist]

Hump is going away. Snow is melting again:

Photo courtesy of the Yosemite Conservancy. March 18, 2016 at 6:00 pm PDT

[DonnaR57]

There was an interesting article about Yosemite in the online version of today's LA Times. It was repeated in Yahoo News.

Yosemite Transformation


Donna

[Southwest Dave]

Above average temperatures are seeing the snow continue to melt away. Although the April 1st snowpack average report has yet to be published, there are major concerns over the drought conditions to Mono lake and eastern Sierra. Despite the 'El Nino' season in California the drought looks like continuing into it's 5th year, as the Locals look in hope to April and May to bring some much needed precipitation.



We should only be 10 days [or so] away from the start of the plowing effort to get Tioga Pass open for the season !

Dave.

[Southwest Dave]

The Yosemite webpage reports this winters snowpack at 89% of average. That's a huge improvement on last years 7% and the previous 3 years to that, at 33% / 52% / 43% respectively. It would seem the snow is melting away quite quickly, other than at the highest levels and shadiest areas. This from Yosemite's Tuolumne Meadows winter update for 5th April.

High temperatures were in the low 50s every day this week. Overnight lows were below freezing, but not much below and not for very long. This has resulted in significant snow melt in the Tuolumne area. South aspects below 9,500 feet are patchy or completely bare. Above 10,000 feet the snowpack remains deep with good coverage. Ski conditions are variable depending on aspect and elevation.

On a side note the plowing effort for Glacier point road has begun where snow depth is between 2 to 4 feet in depth. They have managed 1.3 miles but progress was slowed by a thick ice layer.

Dave.