Re: Flood warning

Flood warning
National weather service san joaquin valley - hanford ca
1209 pm pdt mon jun 13 2011

...The national weather service in hanford has issued a flood warning
For the following rivers in california...

Merced river at pohono bridge

The warmest temperatures of the snowmelt season are expected over the
Next several days. This will cause the merced river at pohono bridge
To reach flood stage tuesday evening...Continuing until further notice.

This will bring flooding to campgrounds and trails in yosemite valley
And you should pay close attention to park officials for any closures.

Forecasts are based on present and forecasted meteorological and
Hydrologic conditions at time of issuance.

Precautionary/preparedness actions...

Unlisted forecast points are expected to remain below monitor stage.
All those affected by river conditions should remain alert for rapid
Changes and for possible forecast revisions.

For more hydrologic information and stage definitions refer to the
Following web site (all lower case):
Http://www.Wrh.Noaa.Gov/hnx/hydro.Php


&&

Cac043-142109-
/o.New.Khnx.Fl.W.0002.110615t0340z-000000t0000z/
/pohc1.1.Er.110615t0340z.110615t1200z.000000t0000z.No/
1209 pm pdt mon jun 13 2011

The national weather service in hanford has issued a

* flood warning for
The merced river at pohono bridge.
* from tuesday evening until further notice.
* at 11:00 am monday the stage was 8.8 feet.
* minor flooding is forecast.
* forecast to recede to near 8.0 ft this evening then expected to
Rise above flood stage of 10.0 ft tomorrow evening then forecast
To rise to near 11.0 ft wednesday morning then forecast to recede
To near 10.5 ft wednesday early afternoon.
* flood stage 10.0 ft
* impact...Near 11.5 feet, sewage pumping relay station at north pines
Campground becomes flooded.
* impact...Near 10.5 feet, water tops the swinging bridge downstream
From chapel meadow. Overflow from woski pond floods access
Road(northside drive) leading out of the west entrance of the park.
* impact...Near 10.0 feet, western portion of north pines
Campground...Located at the east end of yosemite valley between the
Confluence of the merced river and tenaya creek...Begins to flood.
Water rises to the base of the swinging bridge downstream from
Chapel meadow.



$$

Bingham

000
Fxus66 khnx 132139
Afdhnx

Area forecast discussion
National weather service san joaquin valley - hanford ca
239 pm pdt mon jun 13 2011

.Synopsis...
High pressure will dominate over the region through mid-week while
Temperatures continue to warm. A trough of low pressure will
Move across the pacific northwest by late wednesday. This will
Bring cooler temperatures and an increase in winds from thursday
Until the weekend. &&

.Discussion...
The upper ridge is strongly building in across central ca this
Afternoon. Temps alread running some 8-14 degs over sunday. Ridge
Is fcst to peak tues afternoon over central ca...And 850mb temps
Fcst in the 21-23 degs/c range. This translates to mid-upper 90s
For highs in the sjv and high deserts...An isolated 100 not out
Of the question hottest locales.

Snowmelt in the sierra will increase over the next 48 hrs...With
The expected peak in runoff early thurs. Flood warning at least
Thru fri was issued for yosemite valley as flood stage on the
Merced river of 10 feet is expected by tues evening...Then near
11.7 feet by early thurs. Other areas of the southern sierra
Remain under a flood watch until further notice.

Except for a few afternoon cu over the southern sierra...Skies
Across the region will be mainly clear the next several days. The
Upper ridge is then fcst to begin weaking by thurs...As several
Shortwave trofs move across the pac nw. This will bring the start
Of a cooling trend thurs...Though the models have trended
Differently in depth and strength on a shortwave trof across the
Great basin/intermountain area fri-sat. While there will be a
Downward trend in temps beginning thurs...The magnitude of cooling
Over the weekend is in doubt at this time.


&&

.Aviation...
Vfr conditions can be expected across the central ca interior
Through 00z wednesday.

&&

.Air quality issues...
None.

&&

.Hnx watches/warnings/advisories...
Flood warning until further notice yosemite valley cac043.
Flood watch until further notice caz093-094-096-097.

&&

$$

Public...Bingham
Avn/fw...Mv
Synopsis...Bso

Weather.Gov/hanford

ok guys, what does this mean for my trip (starting saturday) around the north rim to tenaya lake -- across tenaya outlet -- cloudsrest/halfdome and down to LYV? how will the crossings of the creeks along the north rim be?

Remind me which bridge is Pohono?

This is what I want to see! We now have three nights in Upper Pines to witness this event. Can't wait!

Quote
hotrod4x5
Remind me which bridge is Pohono?

The question has been answered, however...
if one goes to the NPS Yosemite website ( http://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm ) and clicks on the "view map" link seen on any of the webpages, the valley map shown there lists the names of the bridges.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/14/2011 11:51AM by szalkowski.

Pohono Bridge is the one between Southside Drive/41 junction and 120/140 junction.
If you're coming in on 120 or 140 it's the bridge you go over just as you're entering the valley

You'll probably see more visual evidence of flooding in the western part of Lower and North Pines campgrounds, and the meadows areas on the north side of swinging bridge, and the meadows near the Chapel bridge. The measuring guage is at Pohono bridge but if I remember right that bridge is fairly high over the river compared to swinging bridge. Water should be running down the walkways out on the Happy Isles islands. Be careful!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/13/2011 11:13PM by mtn man.

Quote
eeek

Quote
mtn man
The measuring guage is at Pohono bridge but if I remember right that bridge is fairly high over the river compared to swinging bridge.

http://yosemitephotos.net/main.php/v/yosemite/sh-dscn3779.jpg.html

I zoomed in on the picture of the guage and 12 ft. (projected almost that high for early thurs. morning) would be about 6 inches below that horizontal crack,the one just down form the hole in the cement, (in the area of that first mainly yellow area on the cement from the top.) I'm assuming this pic. was taken in October? Remember the flood of 1/1997 was 23ft.!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/14/2011 01:02PM by mtn man.

The Merced hit 10 feet last night at Pohono Bridge.

http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/plotReal?staid=POH

Is there a place to park the car outside yosemite valley and take yarts into yosemite just in case theres another flood like in january of 1997. last time i flew into mariposa then took yarts into yosemite but was wandering if theres anything closer?

Quote
Jpsfirstresponse
Is there a place to park the car outside yosemite valley and take yarts into yosemite just in case theres another flood like in january of 1997. last time i flew into mariposa then took yarts into yosemite but was wandering if theres anything closer?

Just got back, it's not that bad.

I read that many sites in North Pines and Lower Pines, as well as Housekeeping, were flooded, but no additional details were provided. Since you were camping nearby in Upper Pines, do you have any additional details?

Also, did you notice any flooding on Tenaya Creek, especially along North Pines and the Backpackers camp?

Thanks in advance!!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/17/2011 11:18PM by robinjayp.

Quote
robinjayp
I read that many sites in North Pines and Lower Pines, as well as Housekeeping, were flooded, but no additional details were provided. Since you were camping nearby in Upper Pines, do you have any additional details?

Also, did you notice any flooding on Tenaya Creek, especially along North Pines and the Backpackers camp?

Thanks in advance!!!

I didn't check out Tenaya, been to Mirror Lake before, kind of a been there done that thing. Although thinking about it, I should have probably at least gone to the confluence of Tenaya and Merced. Oh well, my first flood. Some sites in LP were flooded, the host's site, in fact. I talked to him. I think it was 63. Nothing in UP was flooded. Some HK Camp sites were flooded as well, looked like the western end, close to the road. Not sure of others.

Thanks for the reply. I have reservations near the creek next month and was curious. We camped by the creek last year around this time, so was curious about the impact on the area. We tried to get the same week this year, but the site was blocked along with many others (for a good reason it seems).

I hope some of the "monsoon" areas that we experienced last year calm down by next month (Mist Trail and Bridalveil). I haven't heard much about the "mist" this year, but it was awful last year in late June. It was so bad that sunscreen was drizzling into eyes, cameras were not working properly due to the water impact, the Mist Trail was super slippery and we were soaked to the bone (not necessarily a bad thing in hot weather, but this was ridiculous!). I have been up that trail many times, and last year was the worst I have seen it. Came down John Muir just to be "safe" and still got soaked coming down from Nevada, but dried off pretty quick. We still had a fantastic time though How could you not in Yosemite!

We did the mist trail. Usually there is that one section that you get wet on. Well on that section we got drenched, and on the rest, soaked. EVERY step was wet and many had waterfalls of their own. I couldn't even take out my camera for a shot on any of the steps section. Laid out on top for an hour, still didn't get dry. Went on to Nevada and got wet in just a short section. Took JMT down just for a change of scenery and also for safety's sake and didn't want to get wet again. (this was Thurs)

I saw your videos and that looks similar to last year (a little more this year though). We were getting hit with water from all directions. I agree about the safety issue. I've seen people hurrying down the trail and even running down with the steps wet and slippery and appreciated coming down the very dry and dusty (not to mention poopy) Muir trail instead.

Thanks for the hike details. Always appreciated!

Quote
Jpsfirstresponse
Is there a place to park the car outside yosemite valley and take yarts into yosemite just in case theres another flood like in january of 1997. last time i flew into mariposa then took yarts into yosemite but was wandering if theres anything closer?

Mariposa is the closest public airport to Yosemite Valley. (There might be a private landing strip that's closer.)

I truly doubt that the conditions in Yosemite are right, as of now, to produce the flooding that occurred in January 1997. You'll need a lot more snow, then a very warm weather front with rain to drop in. That could have happend in April or May, or maybe even earlier in June, but I think enough snow has melted that even if a tropical monsoon hit Yosemite right now (highly unlikely) that type of devastating type of flood could not occur right now.

But if you're paranoid about it, I wouldn't suggest that you rely on YARTS, since YARTS travels up and down the Merced River Canyon to and from Yosemite -- a river canyon that would not be passible by car during such a major flood as they had in 1997. The 1997 flood washed out parts of Hwy 140 along the Merced River Canyon. Instead, I would suggest that you parked your car at the Tunnel View parking lot, or even at Glacier Point parking lot and hiked down into the valley. Your car would be very safe from flooding in those two parking lots. And you would probably would be able to leave the park via the Wawona Road (unless of course the South Fork of the Merced flooded the Wawona Road around Wawona).

But really, don't worry too much about it. Just enjoy your visit.