Yosemite National Park occupies 1,190 sq miles of some of the most beautiful landscape in the world, but the the one mile wide by seven mile long valley floor makes up the most popular part of the park. This small section of real estate is where the vast majority of people spend most of their time. During the busy summer months the valley looks more like a crowded metropolitan city park than a dedicated wilderness area.
But why the crowds congregate to this small little plot of land is by no means an accident. They are there because Yosemite Valley provides some of the best scenery to be found anywhere in the world. John Muir called it the "Crown Jewel of the Sierra Nevada"
Weather in Yosemite can range from 100 degrees in the valley during the summer to below zero in the upper elevations of the park during the winter. Yosemite Valley that rests at an elevation of about 4,000 feet has fairly mild temperatures throughout the year, but as you go higher, the temperature (in general) decreases 1 degree Fahrenheit for every 300 feet of elevation gain. Precipitation also increases 2 to 4 inches for each 300 feet of elevation gain reaching a maximum at about 5000 to 6000 feet. You will hit these elevations along the Mist Trail between Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls. Ninety five percent of the precipitation (both in rain and snow form) falls between October and May, with more than half (typically) falling in January, February, and March.
But why the crowds congregate to this small little plot of land is by no means an accident. They are there because Yosemite Valley provides some of the best scenery to be found anywhere in the world. John Muir called it the "Crown Jewel of the Sierra Nevada"
Weather in Yosemite can range from 100 degrees in the valley during the summer to below zero in the upper elevations of the park during the winter. Yosemite Valley that rests at an elevation of about 4,000 feet has fairly mild temperatures throughout the year, but as you go higher, the temperature (in general) decreases 1 degree Fahrenheit for every 300 feet of elevation gain. Precipitation also increases 2 to 4 inches for each 300 feet of elevation gain reaching a maximum at about 5000 to 6000 feet. You will hit these elevations along the Mist Trail between Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls. Ninety five percent of the precipitation (both in rain and snow form) falls between October and May, with more than half (typically) falling in January, February, and March.
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THE FOLLOWING IS THE WEATHER FORECAST FOR YOSEMITE VALLEY AT THE 3,998 FT LEVEL
| February | 11 | Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 27. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph in the evening. |
| February | 12 | Tuesday A slight chance of snow showers between 10am and noon, then a slight chance of rain showers after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 42. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 20%. |
| February | 12 | Tuesday Night Snow showers before 2am, then rain and snow showers. Low around 34. Southeast wind around 5 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible. |
| February | 13 | Wednesday Showers. The rain could be heavy at times. High near 44. South wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible. |
| February | 13 | Wednesday Night Showers. The rain could be heavy at times. Low around 38. South wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between 2 and 3 inches possible. |
| February | 14 | Thursday Showers likely. The rain could be heavy at times. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 44. South wind around 5 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible. |
| February | 14 | Thursday Night Rain showers likely before 11pm, then rain and snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. South wind around 5 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. |
| February | 15 | Friday Rain and snow showers likely before 10am, then rain showers likely between 10am and 5pm, then rain and snow showers likely after 5pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 42. Southwest wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. |
| February | 15 | Friday Night Snow showers likely, mainly before 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. Southwest wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. |
| February | 16 | Saturday A chance of snow showers before 1pm, then a chance of rain showers between 1pm and 2pm, then a chance of snow showers after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 39. Southwest wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. |
| February | 16 | Saturday Night A 30 percent chance of snow showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 24. West southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. |
| February | 17 | Sunday Snow showers likely. Mostly sunny, with a high near 35. East northeast wind around 5 mph becoming west in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 60%. |
| February | 17 | Sunday Night A 50 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly clear, with a low around 22. West wind around 5 mph becoming northeast in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. |
| February | 18 | Washington's Birthday A chance of rain and snow showers. Sunny, with a high near 38. East northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. |
To the left is frozen Ellery Lake (9,489 feet) The Lake is located along the Tioga Road just below the Tioga Pass (9,943 feet) This photo was taken on June 6th, 2010 (opening day for the Tioga Pass Road that year).
When the Tioga Pass Road opens varies from year to year (depending on weather and snow conditions). Tioga Pass is the Eastern entrance to Yosemite National Park. It is the highest highway pass in California and in the Sierra Nevada.
THE FOLLOWING IS THE WEATHER FORECAST FOR TUOLUMNE MEADOWS AT 8,650 FEET
Check out the big temperature drop when comparing the higher elevation of Tuolumne Meadows to the Valley Floor's forecast as noted above.
| February | 11 | Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 8. Wind chill values as low as -14. Breezy, with a southwest wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. |
| February | 12 | Tuesday A slight chance of snow showers between 10am and 4pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 26. Wind chill values as low as -10. Windy, with a southwest wind 25 to 30 mph increasing to 30 to 35 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 50 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. |
| February | 12 | Tuesday Night Snow showers, mainly after 10pm. Low around 18. Wind chill values as low as -3. Windy, with a southwest wind 30 to 35 mph, with gusts as high as 50 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible. |
| February | 13 | Wednesday Snow showers. The snow could be heavy at times. High near 28. Wind chill values as low as -1. Windy, with a south southwest wind 35 to 40 mph, with gusts as high as 55 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 12 to 18 inches possible. |
| February | 13 | Wednesday Night Snow showers. The snow could be heavy at times. Low around 23. Windy, with a southwest wind 30 to 40 mph, with gusts as high as 55 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 18 to 24 inches possible. |
| February | 14 | Thursday Snow showers likely, mainly before 4pm. The snow could be heavy at times. Partly sunny, with a high near 29. Windy, with a southwest wind 30 to 35 mph, with gusts as high as 50 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of 10 to 16 inches possible. |
| February | 14 | Thursday Night A 50 percent chance of snow showers. The snow could be heavy at times. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 19. Windy, with a south southwest wind 25 to 30 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. New snow accumulation of 3 to 7 inches possible. |
| February | 15 | Friday Snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 25. Windy, with a southwest wind around 30 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. |
| February | 15 | Friday Night A 50 percent chance of snow showers, mainly before 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 10. Breezy, with a southwest wind around 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. |
| February | 16 | Saturday A 40 percent chance of snow showers, mainly between 10am and 4pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 21. Breezy, with a west southwest wind 20 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. |
| February | 16 | Saturday Night A 30 percent chance of snow showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 6. Breezy, with a west southwest wind 20 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. |
| February | 17 | Sunday Snow showers likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 16. Breezy, with a west wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. |
| February | 17 | Sunday Night A 40 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly clear, with a low around 3. Blustery, with a north wind around 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. |
| February | 18 | Washington's Birthday A 40 percent chance of snow showers. Sunny, with a high near 20. Blustery, with a north northwest wind 15 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. |
Above Weather Report Powered by the National Weather Service
Half Dome Cable Ladder to the Left
Psalm 103:11-13
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.
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