Competition. Tioga Pass Prognosticator 23. Spring Opening 2017.

[Southwest Dave]

Tioga Pass Spring opening 2017 competition.

Win a tank of fuel for your ride !

.................................................. ....

This is our 23rd attempt at predicting future conditions for one of America's favorite mountain passes. Tioga Pass crosses the Sierra Nevada mountains through Yosemite NP as part of CA Highway 120 which can close for the winter season from any time in October and may not open up again until as late as June. After 6 years of drought conditions, January 2017 has brought much need precipitation to the area, one of the wettest ever January's recorded in Mono Basin with possibly more to come. This is good news for water levels at Mono lake and the folks in California who rely heavily on this water source. In Tuolumne Meadows it has turned from record drought to record snowfall with the Yosemite website reporting : 'Within a mere three weeks we have measured 207 inches of snow and 20.25 inches of water '.

Taken from Yosemite Sentinel webcam on January 7 2017.

So if you fancy your chances of correctly predicting this seasons opening date and becoming our next Tioga Pass Prognosticator champion, you can win a tank of gas for your road trip ride. To enter for free, read on !!

The Contest.

You are welcome to use your predictive talents and if you manage to hit the correct date -- the RTA Editorial group will pay for a tank of Roadtrip fuel in your personal roadtrip ride. Legal has suggested that we identify what this means.... So, for the record, the prize will be limited to $75.00 USD* ************Forum Moderator, Dave Gomm, (Southwest Dave) is the official Sheriff and Chief Wrangler for this contest and his rulings as to the naming of the winner are final, (& they can also be arbitrary & capricious) Got a beef? Or a question? Take it up with him...

The rules.

*** To win this prize, the date must be posted** on this Forum more than or equal to fifteen (15) days prior to the official Tioga Pass Road OPENING date. **Your "date" must be identified in a post on this thread
** ** Further, you must identify a particular time in your post (date and time is required for the winning entry). *And if you manage to identify the correct opening time within 60 minutes.... you'll receive an additional surprise gift from RTA.
*** Once you have selected your date you must select the relevant date range in the Poll above.
* A single calendar date can only be claimed by one member. If two or more members chose the same calendar date, and that date proves to be the "Winning Date", the prize will go to the member who "claimed" the date the earliest in this contest period.
*The official date for this Tioga Pass Prognosticator contest tracks with Pacific Time (USA), so no matter what date it might be in your local neighbourhood, the date used for this contest will be the same one used by the officials at Yosemite National Park for Tioga Pass.

Official Tioga Pass openings in recent years:
2016 May 18th (Noon)
2015 May 4th (8 am)
2014 May 2nd (Noon)
2013 May 11th (Noon)
2012 May 7th (Noon)
2011 June 18th (8:45 am)
2010 June 5th (8:00 am)
2009: May 19th (10:30 am)
2008: May 21st (8:00 am)
2007: May 11th (this was an early one!)
2006: June 17th
2005: June 24th
2004: May 14th
2003: May 31st
2002: May 22nd
2001: May 12th

Our reigning Tioga Pass Prognosticator champ is member is Tantrum who successfully predicted the 2015 Spring opening and our current Dctpp (Darn close Tioga pass Prognosticator) is member travelingman who missed out on last years correct closing date by just 24 hours.
Here's the official list of the Prognosticators Extraordinaire To-Date: -- as approved by Sheriff & Chief Wrangler Dave Gomm:

Tioga Pass Prognosticator Winners:

*** tantrum, Spring 2015 Opening
George Carey (glc), Spring 2014 Opening
George Carey (glc), Spring 2013
Opening Jessica Beagles-Roos (CAnative), Spring 2011 and Winter 2011 (although it actually closed in 2012)
Brian Shannon (Exodus) Spring, 2010
Phil Boardman, (PhilB) Spring 2009
weirj Winter 2008 -

***and the dcTPP contestants (Darn Close -- Tioga Pass Prognosticator)

*************travelingman Winter 2016
*************Jessica Beagles-Roos [CANative] Spring 2016
*************Jessica Beagles-Roos, (CaNative), Winter 2013
*************George Carey (glc), Spring 2012
*************Sheriff Dave Gomm (Southwest Dave), Winter 2010
*************Don Casey (CalOldBlue), Winter 2009
*************Lynn & Victor (Hotel Charlotte), Spring 2008
*************Joey (Kinless), Spring 2007 -

Here are some links you may find helpful:

Yosemite record of recent opening and closing dates.

A list of opening and closing dates for other Sierra Nevada passes.

And see what's happening right now on Yosemite Webcams.

And here are links to the previous 10 competitions.
Winter closing 2016.
Spring opening 2016.
Winter closing 2015.
Spring opening 2015.
Winter 2014 closing.
Spring 2014 Opening.
Winter closing 2013.
Spring opening 2013.
Winter closing 2012.
Spring opening 2012.
Winter closing 2011.

So what are you waiting for ? You could be filling up your tank like these previous winners !

glc. (George Carey.)


CANative. (Jessica Beagle-Roos)


Exodus. (Brian Shannon.)


PhilB (Phil Boardman)

***Good luck !!***

[Southwest Dave]

I'm gonna get the ball rolling with an early prediction, which is going to be for
May 29th @ 11am

Dave.

[Mark Sedenquist]

May 12th at Noon -- Memorable day

And a big thanks to Sheriff Dave for getting this set up again!

Mark

[Mark Sedenquist]

Still lots of snow in the high country of Yosemite Valley

Photo courtesy of The Yosemite Conservancy. January 28th at 8:40 am PST

[Mark Sedenquist]

Just a few days ago, all of those trees were covered in snow too.


Photo courtesy of the Yosemite Conservancy, January 29th at 3:45 pm PST.

[Southwest Dave]

Hopefully they will get the Sentinel Webcam up and running soon as it gives a much better picture of what's happening on the high ground. Perhaps it's been buried under all that snow !!

Dave.

[Southwest Dave]

The National weather service has announced a storm warning for the Sierra Nevada. Looks like a lot more snow on the way !

* LOCATIONS...SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK
TO KINGS CANYON ABOVE 6000 FEET.

* HAZARD TYPES...HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...12 TO 18 INCHES ABOVE 6000 FEET. UP TO 30
INCHES NEAR THE CREST.

* TIMING...SNOW WILL BEGIN BY EARLY THURSDAY MORNING AND SPREAD
SOUTHWARD THURSDAY AFTERNOON. SNOW WILL BECOME HEAVY AT
TIMES...ESPECIALLY THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY AND CONTINUE
THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING.

* IMPACTS...THE HEAVY SNOW WILL MAKE MANY ROADS IMPASSABLE AND MAY
PRODUCE WIDESPREAD POWER OUTAGES DUE TO THE WEIGHT OF THE SNOW
ON TREE LIMBS AND POWER LINES. STRONG WINDS WILL LEAD TO BLOWING
SNOW...REDUCED VISIBILITY...AND ADDITIONAL POWER OUTAGES.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 60 MPH.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW
ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN
EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL, KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT, FOOD, AND
WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

Take care if you are travelling and avoid if possible.

[Southwest Dave]

Very heavy snow is forecast across the Sierra with new snow accumulation of up to 2.5 foot predicted on the high ground in Tuolumne meadows through today into Tuesday night. !!

Dave.

[DonnaR57]

Our San Diego area forecasters are showing a map full of snow in the mountains through the end of the week, at least. Of course, all of these are just forecasts.

We are getting rain down here on the southern and lower elevation areas of California....



Donna

[ONIRIA]

From Spain to Glaceir point next June.
Got to drive there next 11th of June, so I hope it opens:
June 3rd. Noon