Re: Special weather statement

Special weather statement
National weather service san joaquin valley - hanford ca
947 am pdt fri aug 27 2010

Caz096-097-280100-
Sierra nevada from yosemite to kings canyon-
Tulare county mountains-
947 am pdt fri aug 27 2010

...A dramatic change to colder weather over the sierra this
Weekend with a threat of light snow over the high country...

After a bout of very warm weather, a major change in the weather
Pattern will occur this weekend with much cooler weather and even
The threat of light snow saturday night and sunday at elevations
Above 9000 feet. The main area of concern for high elevation back
Country snow is in yosemite park where a dusting up to an inch or
Two of snow may occur. Over yosemite valley, little to no
Precipitation is expected and if any occurs it will be in the form
Of rain showers.

Campers, hikers, outdoor enthusiasts and all visitors to yosemite
Park and the sierra nevada high country should be prepared for
Cold and windy weather beginning saturday with the coldest weather
Occurring on sunday.

Campers should bring additional warm clothing before heading to
The sierra. Hikers heading into the high country should be prepared
For winter-like conditions as winds and cold temperatures will make
For very uncomfortable if not dangerous weather. Plan accordingly.

By monday a warming trend will commence with a return to normal
Late summer weather for next week.



$$

Dch

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
1253 AM PDT SAT AUG 28 2010

CAZ096-097-281700-
SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON-
TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
1253 AM PDT SAT AUG 28 2010

...A BIG CHANGE TO COLDER WEATHER OVER THE SIERRA THIS WEEKEND
WITH A THREAT OF LIGHT SNOW OVER THE HIGH COUNTRY LATE TONIGHT AND
SUNDAY...

WARM WEATHER WILL COME TO AN ABRUPT HALT TODAY AS A MAJOR CHANGE
IN THE WEATHER PATTERN OCCURS. MUCH COOLER TEMPERATURES WILL
ARRIVE TODAY WITH EVEN COLDER AIR SET TO MOVE OVER THE SIERRA
TONIGHT AND SUNDAY. THE THREAT OF LIGHT SNOW REMAINS FOR TONIGHT
AND SUNDAY AT ELEVATIONS ABOVE 9000 FEET. THE MAIN AREA OF
CONCERN FOR HIGH ELEVATION BACK COUNTRY SNOW IS IN YOSEMITE PARK
WHERE A DUSTING UP TO AN INCH OR TWO OF SNOW MAY OCCUR. OVER
YOSEMITE VALLEY, LITTLE TO NO PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED AND IF ANY
OCCURS IT WILL BE IN THE FORM OF RAIN SHOWERS.

CAMPERS, HIKERS, OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS AND ALL VISITORS TO YOSEMITE
PARK AND THE SIERRA NEVADA HIGH COUNTRY SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR
COLD AND WINDY WEATHER BEGINNING TODAY WITH THE COLDEST WEATHER
OCCURRING ON SUNDAY. TEMPERATURES ALONG HIGH ELEVATION TRAILS
ABOVE 10000 FEET WILL ONLY REACH INTO THE 40S TODAY WITH LOWS
INTO THE TEENS ON SUNDAY MORNING. HIGHS ON SUNDAY WILL ONLY REACH
THE 30S AT HIGHEST ELEVATIONS. WINDS WILL ALSO BE VERY GUSTY TO
STRONG OVER RIDGES CAUSING WIND CHILL VALUES TO FALL INTO THE 20S.

CAMPERS SHOULD BRING ADDITIONAL WARM CLOTHING AND WARM WEATHER
GEAR BEFORE HEADING TO THE SIERRA THIS WEEKEND. HIKERS HEADING INTO THE
HIGH COUNTRY SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR WINTER-LIKE CONDITIONS AS
WINDS AND COLD TEMPERATURES WILL MAKE FOR VERY UNCOMFORTABLE IF
NOT DANGEROUS WEATHER. PLAN ACCORDINGLY.

BY MONDAY A WARMING TREND WILL COMMENCE WITH A RETURN TO NORMAL
LATE SUMMER WEATHER FOR NEXT WEEK.

$$

DUDLEY

We were already on the trail hearing this from the ranger at Crabtree - wish we'd known, the 0 degree bags would have been in the pack and we'd still be out there.

I woke up at Steelhead Lake (upper french canyon, 11k+) on Saturday morning to frozen water bottles and sub-freezing temps. I didn't have a thermometer, but I spilled some water when making my morning coffee and it was frozen within 5 minutes. We hiked out that day (Pine Creek trailhead) and it was really cold and cloudy and windy until we got below the lowest lake. All week (I was out from the 20th to the 28th) we felt a chill in the air that made it feel like summer was definitely on its way out.

Will any agency make a public announcement if the Half Dome cables are closed due to bad weather?

I'm not sure the cables have ever been "closed" due to weather. They've been up or down. With the permit system in place and a ranger stationed to check permits I would guess it's possible that now they may declare the cables unsafe under certain conditions and stop people from proceeding up them but I doubt they will.

El Cap is never closed to climbers so I wonder why HD would ever be closed.

---

Old Dude

No, they rely on people to see that the weather is bad and NOT GO UP THE CABLES if the rock is wet, if it's raining, storming, etc.

Save your life for sure - don't go up Half Dome when the weather turns bad. Just DO NOT GO. Do something else. Do high points/peaks when the weather is good. Don't think you'll never get another chance to go up it if you don't go in bad weather. It's not worth killing yourself.