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The closure comes just ahead of the busiest six months of the year, from May to October, when more than 300,000 visitors per day arrive, and snow as deep as 15 feet has caused the park to close from late February to February. Park closures have been extended through mid-May. march. During that time, there were “22 rockfalls, debris flows, and other slope failures along park roads.” murmured.
After California’s historic snowy winter, average snowfall across the state is over 200% of its normal peak, and warmer temperatures are expected to accelerate snowmelt across the state.By Thursday afternoon, temperatures in central California will be around 15 degrees higher than normalNearly 80 in Yosemite Valley and the highest in the 90’s in San Joaquin Valley.
The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for parts of the Sierra Nevada late Wednesday night through Tuesday morning. Including Yosemite National Park.
“Excessive runoff can cause flooding of rivers, streams, creeks, and other low-lying, flood-prone areas. Streams and streams can rise from their banks,” the Weather Service wrote. I’m here. “Prolonged periods of very high temperatures are expected to cause rapid snow melting and flooding along waterways in Yosemite National Park.”
The park is particularly prone to flooding due to its flat terrain surrounded by mountains. The worst Yosemite floods on record occurred in January 1997, when nearly two feet of rain fell over a deep snowpack. Thousands of tourists were stranded as the floodwaters washed away roads, campsites and buildings and water levels reached 16 feet from the flood stage.
The Merced River at the Phono Bridge, which crosses the river near the western end of Yosemite Valley, Over 98% chance The Bureau of Meteorology’s forecast of 11.5 feet for Sunday is well below the 1997 record of 23.43 feet, but will not exceed the 10-foot flood stage. Expected wave heights on the river are similar to the 12.1 foot wave heights that caused flooding in the spring of 1983. This is one of just four years when statewide snowfall has exceeded 200% of normal.
The closure covers a large area east of the El Capitan crossover that crosses the Merced River toward the western edge of the park.
“There is no visitor access (including pedestrian access) east of that road. Parking is very limited in western Yosemite Valley and throughout the park. Do not park off-road. Yosemite Valley Service is not available in the West. murmured“Reservations for accommodation and campgrounds in the eastern Yosemite Valley will be automatically canceled and refunded. Wilderness permits can be rescheduled to alternate trailheads as space permits.”
Wawona, Mariposa Grove, Crane Flats Area, Hetch Hetchy, and Western Yosemite Valley will remain open, according to the park.
The trail can remain covered in snow until July, so the park website warns: Most of Yosemite’s trails are invisible with even a few inches of snow. ”
Visitors say, “Beware of snow bridges that occur when snow fills streams and other openings. “
Flooding risk is expected to peak in late May/early June, but the snowmelt may continue into August.
“The Merced River in Yosemite Valley is likely to remain high through mid-July,” the park said on its website. “This means the river is no longer safe for swimming, rafting and boating.”
The predicted flooding in Yosemite comes less than a year after Yellowstone National Parks in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho were closed for several days due to severe flooding. Torrential rains and rapid snowmelt caused floods, debris flows and rock flows that washed away roads and damaged at least 150 homes.
Jason Samenow contributed to this report.
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