Daily Report – Yosemite National Park
Tuesday, February 2, 2021
Yosemite National Park Zone Forecast
Today: Mostly cloudy. A 50 percent chance of showers in the afternoon. Near the crest, a 50 percent chance of snow showers in the afternoon. Snow accumulation up to 2 inches. Snow level 6500 feet. Highs 42 to 48 at 5000 feet…31 to 39 at 8000 feet.
Tonight: Cloudy with a chance of snow showers. A 50 percent chance of showers. Breezy. Snow accumulation up to 6 inches. Snow level 6000 feet. Lows 29 to 35 at 5000 feet…19 to 25 at 8000 feet. Over higher elevations, southwest winds around 25 mph after midnight. Gusts up to 50 mph.
Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow showers in the morning, then chance of snow showers in the afternoon, gusts up to 45 mph in the morning. Near the crest, a 40 percent chance of snow showers. Over higher elevations, gusts up to 55 mph. Breezy. Snow accumulation up to 1 inch. Total snow accumulation up to 9 inches. Highs 36 to 42 at 5000 feet…24 to 32 at 8000 feet. Southwest winds 25 to 30 mph over higher elevations. Wind chill readings around 1 below.
Additional Point Forecast Weather Links:
Yosemite Valley | Wawona | Tuolumne Meadows | Glacier Point | Big Oak Flat | Hetch Hetchy | El Portal | Mariposa | Badger Pass
=======================================================
NEW AND HAPPENING TODAY
El Portal Pile Burning Today
Fire management will be igniting piles in old El Portal today, February 2, and tomorrow if conditions are favorable. Expect some short-term smoke impacts in the community. Piles are located near the east end of old EP below Foresta Road. For more information email russell_mitchell@nps.gov. (R. Mitchell)
_______________________
Yosemite Medical Clinic Closed For COVID Vaccination Clinics February 4 & 11
Yosemite Medical Clinic (YMC) will be closed Thursday, February 4 and Thursday, February 11 so that clinic staff can conduct COVID-19 vaccination clinics in Fish Camp, Wawona, and Chinquapin (February 4), and El Portal (February 11). As usual, ambulance response will be available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week by calling 911.
YMC continues to administer the COVID-19 vaccination by appointment, following priorities set by the CDC and California Department of Public Health. Persons who responded to the online Yosemite NPS Covid-19 Vaccination Planning survey requesting the vaccine will be contacted by a YMC representative to schedule an appointment. Please do not call the clinic directly to schedule an initial vaccination. (C. Griffin)
_______________________
Village Store Hours Expanding
The following YH operations are now open to the public:
– Degnan’s Kitchen: 10:00am – 5:00pm
– Village Store: 9:00am – 6:00pm (revised)
– Wawona Store: 11:00am – 3:00pm
– El Portal Market: 10:00am – 6:00pm
– Towing: 24 hours
The Ahwahnee and Yosemite Valley Lodge will reopen to overnight visitors starting Friday, February 5, along with expanded hours for the Village Store and Degnan’s Kitchen. An update with those hours will be posted later in the week. (E. Callahan)
_______________________
3-Bedroom Home For Rent
3-bedroomdouble wide mobile home on Whitlock Road for rent at $1,800 per month. For more information email kshelton@yosemiteresorts.net. (K. Shelton)
=======================================================
RECENT NEWS
Yosemite Conservancy Outdoor Adventures Seeks Naturalist Guide
Do you get hyphae for mycorrhizal fungi? Tired of explaining to your friends the vital role fire plays in the Yosemite ecosystem? Have you read the latest report on Spotted Owls? Do you drag your friends outside to view the stars? Are binoculars always in your backpack? Do you enjoy helping visitors expand their understanding of the park?
Yosemite Conservancy is seeking an experienced communicator who is proficient in outdoor leadership to offer interpretive day hikes and backpack trips in Yosemite. Candidates must have working knowledge of Yosemite ecosystems, geology, cultural and natural history. The ability to lead astronomy programs is a plus. A Wilderness First Responder certification is required. For full job description and application instructions please visit: https://yosemite.org/careers (K. Chappell)
_______________________
Yosemite Forum February 9
The next virtual Yosemite Forum presentation will take place Tuesday, February 9, from 3:30 to 4:30 pm: “Snow depth distribution patterns and consistency from airborne lidar time series, Tuolumne River basin” By Megan Mason, Boise State University.
The Tuolumne River basin is a snow-dominated watershed that is a primary water source for California’s Bay Area. Airborne Lidar Surveys (ALS) can measure snow depth at the basin scale at high resolution. Fifty-one lidar acquisitions over a six-year record (2013-2018) show that snow depth distribution has a repeatable spatial pattern. Strong correlations between ALS from different years confirm that spatial patterns exist between snow seasons. At the sub-basin scale, distribution patterns are more consistent in vegetation-limited areas (bedrock dominated terrain and open meadows) compared to vegetation-rich zones (valley hillslopes and dense canopy cover). Quantifying the consistency of snow depth distribution patterns improves snow models that forecast meltwater quantities and timing and informs decisions about future Snotel networks.
This Yosemite Forum presentation will take place via GoTo Webinar. Please register for this webinar at:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3620700998994097168
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. For more information email greg_stock@nps.gov. (G. Stock)
_______________________
Yosemite National Park To Require Day-Use Reservations Starting February 8 – National Park Service News Release January 29, 2021
Yosemite National Park — Beginning February 8, visitors to Yosemite National Park will need a day-use reservation to enter the park. The temporary day-use reservation system will allow the park to manage visitation levels to reduce risks associated with exposure to COVID-19.
Day-use reservations will be required for all users, including annual and senior pass holders. Each reservation is valid for seven days and must be validated the first day of the reservation.
Reservations are available on www.recreation.gov beginning at 8 a.m. Monday, Feb. 1. Each day-use reservation is valid for one vehicle and the occupants of that vehicle. For more detailed information, please visit: https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/covid19.htm
For visitors staying inside the park, at the Ahwahnee Hotel, Yosemite Valley Lodge or Upper Pines Campground, day-use reservations are included with overnight lodging reservations.
The reservation system will be in effect until local public health conditions improve.
The health and safety of?park?visitors, employees, and partners continues to be our number one priority.??
For further information on?Yosemite?National?Park, please visit www.nps.gov/yose. (J. Richards)
=======================================================
CONSTRUCTION & TRAFFIC DELAYS
El Portal Road Traffic Control
Work on the NPS-owned 70kV transmission line will take place January 13 – March 12 along El Portal Road from the park boundary to the powerhouse. This requires intermittent traffic control 0700-1600 Monday through Friday (no holidays) no longer than 10 min. Please plan accordingly. (K. Bablitch)
_______________________
Bridalveil Fall
The Bridalveil Fall parking lot and trails are closed to visitation to allow for ongoing rehabilitation work. NPS crews are currently constructing a new accessible trail and making other trail and site repairs. Contractor work consisting of utility upgrades and parking lot and bus platform improvements will begin later this summer and will continue through May 2021. (P. Johnson)