Yosemite – Tuolumne Meadows Winter Conditions Update – April 3, 2024
(https://www.nps.gov/yose/blogs/update-for-april-3-2024.htm)
New Snow: 24 inches
Settled Snow Depth: 58 inches
High Temperature: 50°F (April 2)
Low Temperature: 10°F (March 31)
March Weather Summary
New Snow: 94 inches (historical average 55.5 inches)
Snow Water Equivalent: 6.42 inches (historical average 3.84 inches)
Average High Temperature: 36.1°F (historical average 40.2°F)
Average Low Temperature: 12.61°F (historical average 13.7°F)
Average Temperature: 24.59°F (historical average 28.7°F)
Ski Conditions and Weather: It was a wintry week to close out the month of March. “Out like a lion” so to speak. It was another month of above average precipitation and snowfall, and a bit cooler than “normal.” We have been out doing the April 1 snow surveys this week and with one more course to go the Tuolumne River drainage is coming in between 90-100% of average.
Springtime in the Sierra Nevada has arrived… before we get too excited about the sunny warm days being here to stay, however, one look at the weather forecast should bring us back to the reality of the finicky nature of spring in the range of light. Temperatures in the 50’s over the next few days will give way to a blast of cold air dropping down from the north and a return to high temperatures in the 20’s. Living in the mountain moment will allow us to enjoy the bluebird powder days that the next few days have in store! It is a good time of year to be prepared for any and all snow conditions, some of which may require ice axe and crampons in the alpine zones.
Avalanche and Snowpack Conditions: Please refer to the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center (ESAC) (https://www.esavalanche.org/) and the Bridgeport Avalanche Center (https://bridgeportavalanchecenter.org/) for the avalanche advisories for this part of the Sierra Nevada. The snowpack is becoming more isothermal with each passing warm day. With the new snowfall this week there was some wind slab formation and isolated pockets of wind slab avalanches. For now, avalanche hazard will be driven by new loading and periods of instability on solar aspects during the heat of the day. It is always a good idea this time of year to keep an eye on overnight temperatures to ensure a surface freeze of ski objectives. Read more about ski and avalanche conditions, recent wildlife activity, and learn about the automatic snow sensors that dot the Sierra Nevada in Laura and Rob’s recent blog post (posted weekly): https://www.nps.gov/yose/blogs/tmconditions.htm. (L. & R. Pilewski)