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
| September | 18 | Monday Sunny, with a high near 73. South southeast wind 5 to 15 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon. |
| September | 18 | Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 44. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south southeast in the evening. |
| September | 19 | Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 71. South southeast wind around 5 mph becoming southwest in the morning. |
| September | 19 | Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 42. West northwest wind around 5 mph becoming east northeast in the evening. |
| September | 20 | Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 68. South southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southwest in the morning. |
| September | 20 | Wednesday Night A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph. |
| September | 21 | Thursday A 20 percent chance of showers after 11am. Partly sunny, with a high near 60. West southwest wind around 5 mph. |
| September | 21 | Thursday Night A 20 percent chance of showers before 11pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 28. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east northeast in the evening. |
| September | 22 | Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 72. East northeast wind around 5 mph becoming west southwest in the morning. |
| September | 22 | Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 30. West northwest wind around 5 mph becoming northeast in the evening. |
| September | 23 | Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 73. East southeast wind around 5 mph becoming west southwest in the morning. |
| September | 23 | Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 29. West northwest wind around 5 mph becoming south in the evening. |
| September | 24 | Sunday Sunny, with a high near 76. South wind around 5 mph becoming west southwest in the morning. |
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.
| September | 18 | Monday Sunny, with a high near 57. Windy, with a southwest wind 15 to 20 mph increasing to 25 to 30 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph. |
| September | 18 | Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 34. Windy, with a west southwest wind around 30 mph, with gusts as high as 45 mph. |
| September | 19 | Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 56. Windy, with a west southwest wind 30 to 40 mph decreasing to 10 to 20 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 55 mph. |
| September | 19 | Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 32. West wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph. |
| September | 20 | Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 52. Windy, with a southwest wind 20 to 25 mph increasing to 25 to 30 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph. |
| September | 20 | Wednesday Night A slight chance of rain showers before 11pm, then a slight chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. Windy, with a southwest wind 25 to 35 mph, with gusts as high as 50 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. |
| September | 21 | Thursday A 20 percent chance of snow showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 40. Breezy, with a southwest wind 15 to 20 mph decreasing to 10 to 15 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. |
| September | 21 | Thursday Night A 20 percent chance of snow showers before 11pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 22. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light north northwest in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph. |
| September | 22 | Friday A 20 percent chance of snow showers after 11am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 45. East southeast wind around 5 mph. |
| September | 22 | Friday Night A 20 percent chance of snow showers before 11pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 22. North northeast wind around 5 mph. |
| September | 23 | Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 47. South southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning. |
| September | 23 | Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 21. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north northeast in the evening. |
| September | 24 | Sunday Sunny, with a high near 51. Northeast wind around 5 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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