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
| April | 6 | Monday Night A chance of rain and snow before 10pm, then a chance of snow between 10pm and 11pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 27. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 40%. |
| April | 7 | Tuesday A 30 percent chance of showers after 11am. Snow level rising to 5900 feet in the afternoon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 48. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph. |
| April | 7 | Tuesday Night A 20 percent chance of showers. Snow level 6500 feet lowering to 5300 feet. Partly cloudy, with a low around 35. Calm wind becoming east northeast around 5 mph after midnight. |
| April | 8 | Wednesday A 40 percent chance of rain, mainly after 11am. Snow level 6000 feet rising to 7500 feet in the afternoon. Partly sunny, with a high near 54. East northeast wind around 5 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph. |
| April | 8 | Wednesday Night A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11pm, then a slight chance of rain after 11pm. Snow level 7800 feet lowering to 7000 feet after midnight . Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40. North northeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. |
| April | 9 | Thursday A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly before 11am. Snow level 6800 feet rising to 8000 feet in the afternoon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 57. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning. |
| April | 9 | Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 40. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm. |
| April | 10 | Friday Sunny, with a high near 60. North northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm. |
| April | 10 | Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 41. West northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm. |
| April | 11 | Saturday Sunny, with a high near 63. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm. |
| April | 11 | Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 43. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. |
| April | 12 | Sunday Sunny, with a high near 63. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm. |
| April | 12 | Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 41. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm. |
| April | 13 | Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. East northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm. |
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.
| April | 6 | Monday Night A 40 percent chance of snow. Partly cloudy, with a low around 8. South southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east after midnight. |
| April | 7 | Tuesday A slight chance of snow before 11am, then a chance of snow showers after 11am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 27. East wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. |
| April | 7 | Tuesday Night A 30 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17. Northeast wind around 5 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. |
| April | 8 | Wednesday A 50 percent chance of snow. Partly sunny, with a high near 33. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible. |
| April | 8 | Wednesday Night A chance of snow showers before 11pm, then a slight chance of snow after 11pm. Some thunder is also possible. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22. North northwest wind around 5 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. |
| April | 9 | Thursday A 30 percent chance of snow. Mostly sunny, with a high near 37. North northwest wind around 5 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. |
| April | 9 | Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 22. North wind around 5 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph. |
| April | 10 | Friday Sunny, with a high near 42. Calm wind becoming north northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph. |
| April | 10 | Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 23. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph. |
| April | 11 | Saturday Sunny, with a high near 44. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. |
| April | 11 | Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 25. West northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. |
| April | 12 | Sunday Sunny, with a high near 42. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph. |
| April | 12 | Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 21. West northwest wind around 5 mph becoming north after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph. |
| April | 13 | Monday Sunny, with a high near 40. North wind around 5 mph, with gusts as high as 15 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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