Special Weather Statement

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
1100 AM PDT TUE AUG 4 2009

CAZ096-097-050600-
SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON-
TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
1100 AM PDT TUE AUG 4 2009

...COLDER AND UNSETTLED LATER THIS WEEK...

AN UNUSUALLY STRONG AND COLD AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE INTO
AND ACROSS THE SIERRA ON THURSDAY AND LINGER INTO LATE THURSDAY
NIGHT. ALTHOUGH THE CALENDAR SAYS EARLY AUGUST, THE INCOMING
WEATHER SYSTEM WILL BRING WEATHER MORE NORMAL FOR SPRING OR EARLY
FALL. AS THE LOW MOVES ONSHORE ON THURSDAY, THUNDERSTORMS WILL
DEVELOP OVER MUCH OF THE SIERRA AND WITH THE ARRIVAL OF COLDER
AIR, SNOW LEVELS WILL DROP TO AS LOW AS 10000 FEET IN HEAVIER
THUNDERSTORMS.

SINCE THIS IS PEAK SEASON FOR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES IN THE SIERRA
HIGH COUNTRY, THE CHANGE TO A MUCH COLDER, WET WEATHER SCENARIO WILL
AFFECT QUITE A FEW PEOPLE. HIKERS AND CAMPERS NEED TO BE PREPARED
FOR UNUSUALLY COLD WEATHER AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF RAIN AND THUNDER.
OVER THE HIGH COUNTRY PREPARATIONS SHOULD BE MADE FOR THE
POSSIBILITY OF UP TO SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW ABOVE 10000 FEET ALONG
WITH SUB FREEZING TEMPERATURES FRIDAY MORNING.

LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR FAVORITE NEWS SOURCE...FOR
UPDATES ON THIS SITUATION.



$$

BSO

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
200 PM PDT WED AUG 5 2009

CAZ096-097-060900-
SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON-
TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
200 PM PDT WED AUG 5 2009

...COLDER AND UNSETTLED IN THE SOUTHERN SIERRA THURSDAY ESPECIALLY
FROM KINGS CANYON TO YOSEMITE...

AN UNUSUALLY STRONG AND COLD LOW PRESSURE AREA WILL MOVE INTO AND
ACROSS THE SIERRA ON THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. ALTHOUGH THE
CALENDAR SAYS EARLY AUGUST, THE INCOMING WEATHER SYSTEM WILL BRING
WEATHER MORE NORMAL FOR SPRING OR EARLY FALL. AS THE LOW MOVES
ONSHORE ON THURSDAY, THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP OVER MUCH OF THE
SIERRA, AND WITH THE ARRIVAL OF COLDER AIR, SNOW LEVELS COULD DROP
AS LOW AS 8500 TO 9000 FEET IN HEAVIER SHOWERS.

SINCE THIS IS PEAK SEASON FOR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES IN THE SIERRA
HIGH COUNTRY, THE CHANGE TO A MUCH COLDER, WET WEATHER SCENARIO WILL
AFFECT QUITE A FEW PEOPLE. HIKERS AND CAMPERS NEED TO BE PREPARED
FOR UNUSUALLY COLD WEATHER AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF RAIN AND THUNDER.
IF YOU ARE IN THE HIGH COUNTRY, PREPARATIONS SHOULD BE MADE FOR
THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW ABOVE 9000 FEET, ALONG
WITH SUB FREEZING TEMPERATURES FRIDAY MORNING.

PERSONS PLANNING EXTENDED HIKING EXCURSIONS TO THE JOHN MUIR,
PACIFIC CREST AND OTHER HIGH COUNTRY TRAILS SHOULD EITHER DELAY
PLANS UNTIL THE WEEKEND OR BRING EXTRA WINTER WEATHER GEAR FOR THE
THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY TIME PERIOD.


$$

BSO

WEATHER.GOV/HANFORD

Laura just reported that it is 39 with snow flurries in Mammoth right now (10:19am 8-6-2009)

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Bee
Laura just reported that it is 39 with snow flurries in Mammoth right now (10:19am 8-6-2009)

Isn't that a little warm for snow?

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eeek

Quote
Bee
Laura just reported that it is 39 with snow flurries in Mammoth right now (10:19am 8-6-2009)

Isn't that a little warm for snow?

I thought it could snow even if the ambient temps are higher than freezing. All you really need is for the clouds to be cold enough to form snow. I've driven in Yosemite when it way maybe 35-40 deg F and there was snow coming down. It was really freaky too, since in the matter of 5 minutes I encountered blue skies (with some clouds), rain, snow, then blue skies again.

Of course it'll probably melt once it hits terra firma.

Quote
y_p_w

Quote
eeek

Quote
Bee
Laura just reported that it is 39 with snow flurries in Mammoth right now (10:19am 8-6-2009)

Isn't that a little warm for snow?

I thought it could snow even if the ambient temps are higher than freezing. All you really need is for the clouds to be cold enough to form snow. I've driven in Yosemite when it way maybe 35-40 deg F and there was snow coming down. It was really freaky too, since in the matter of 5 minutes I encountered blue skies (with some clouds), rain, snow, then blue skies again.

Of course it'll probably melt once it hits terra firma.

See the following for an expanded explanation:
http://www.sciencebits.com/SnowAboveFreezing

[Really freaky to the nth power: back around 1970, saw snow falling in downtown Berkeley.]

The predicted low for Tuolumne Meadows tonight is 23.

June Mountain is reporting snow.

Temporary cure for skeeters.

Jim