Yosemite Valley reopens after heat wave causes flooding concerns
Park officials opened part of Yosemite Valley on Sunday and will fully reopen on Monday at 7 a.m.
Early-season heat wave to shatter more record highs Sunday in the West
Additional record highs are expected to fall Sunday across parts of the West as an early-season heat wave continues due to a strong ridge of high pressure. Records could fall from Montana to Arizona, with a majority of Arizona expected to sit in the 100s. This record heat will continue into Monday, which will continue to fuel widespread snowmelt across the region.
YOSEMITE, Calif. – Yosemite National Park said they were reopening Yosemite Valley ahead of schedule after flooding fears closed much of the iconic landmark last week.
"The river did not rise as much as forecast, so Yosemite Valley will be open Sunday from 7 am to 8 pm for day-use only with very limited services," an official announced on Twitter.
Upper Yosemite Fall, which is fed almost completely by snowmelt, cascades as warm temperatures increased snowpack runoff. Visitors are being asked to stay away from rivers throughout the park which are running dangerously high due to the runoff. As of April 1, snowpack in the Tuolumne River basin of Yosemite National Park was 244% of average amid record snowpack levels for some parts of California after years of drought.
(Mario Tama / Getty Images)
Park officials opened part of Yosemite Valley on Sunday and will fully reopen on Monday at 7 a.m.
Officials at Yosemite National Park announced part of the park's closure starting Friday due to flooding that was forecast in the area as a heat wave in the West would cause snow to rapidly melt and rivers to rise.
While the park reopens for visitors, officials warn everyone not to approach or go into rivers because they are running very high.
This was Yosemite's second weather-related closure in the park this year. Just two months ago, Yosemite National Park was buried under 15 feet of snow, homes in Mammoth Lakes had snow depths higher than their roofs, and some ski resorts received so much snow that you could barely see the tops of 35-foot-tall ski lifts.
A Flood Watch remains in effect for the area through Monday evening.
(FOX Weather)