WORLD NEWS | Yosemite flood risk, closures deter some spring visitors

Twin Bridges, U.S., April 29 (AP) — After a winter storm brought heavy snowpacks to California’s mountains, visitors to the state’s famous Yosemite National Park can catch glimpses of rushing streams, scenic waterfalls and Mountains covered in white.

But starting late Friday, some views will be off limits as the park temporarily closes much of the famed Yosemite Valley in anticipation of rising spring temperatures that could trigger flooding.

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Warming weather is rapidly melting the massive snowpacks that have accumulated in the mountains as a result of an epic series of winter storms. Across California’s fertile San Joaquin Valley, temperatures are expected to climb into the mid-90s (35 degrees Celsius) by Saturday, with severe damage to rivers, creeks, streams and streams in Fresno, Kings and Tulare counties. Flood warnings were issued for low-lying areas, according to the Hanford-based National Weather Service.

The heat has accelerated the rate of snowmelt, especially when nighttime temperatures are no longer below freezing.

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Bill South, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Hanford, said temperatures this week were 15 degrees above normal for this time of year, but cooling is expected next week.

“We’re going from highs in the mid-90s on Saturday to highs in the mid-60s on Tuesday,” South said.

Park officials said the eastern Yosemite Valley will remain closed through at least May 3, and campsite and lodging reservations in the eastern valley will be canceled and refunded. Other parts, including West Yosemite Valley, will remain open.

South urged Yosemite-area visitors to remain vigilant as the Merced River, which flows through the park, is expected to rise as the snow melts. But next week’s forecast is expected to help.

“Next week, when it gets colder, there won’t be as much snowmelt and flooding,” South said.

In the lower Lake Tahoe region, people flocked to enjoy a day of leisure Friday along the American River, which was swollen from melting snow. Some dipped their toes in the frigid waters, a stark contrast to the warmer weather.

Residents in low-lying areas near rising rivers in Kings County have been placing sandbags on their properties and moving items to higher ground for emergencies. Kings County Supervisor Doug Verboon said some people were relieved that cooler weather was expected.

“There’s no immediate concern, and I’m sure the cold weather next week will really help us through,” Verboon said. “Right now, the anxiety has been reduced and I think we’re looking pretty good.”

California climatologists said earlier this week that communities in the state were unlikely to experience imminent flooding from this week’s heat wave because upstream reservoirs could accommodate inflowing snowmelt.

But with so much water flowing through the river and out to the Pacific Ocean to feed an agricultural basin that has been turned back into a vast lake, officials have warned that breaches in the levees could lead to flooding regardless of the temperature. Verboon said the Kings River was inaccessible due to strong currents as more water had been released from the upper Pine Flat reservoir to make way for snowmelt.

The reservoir is expected to hold three times its capacity in the coming months due to the massive snowpack. Residents of Kings County Island have restarted a crisis network to help each other prepare for potential flooding, and the nearby city of Kirkland is building levees to try to keep the water out.

Winter rains and snowstorms have been greeted by parched cities and desperate farmers in California, who have battled a severe drought for years. But a series of atmospheric rivers flooded the farm and covered a large agricultural basin normally used to grow wheat and tomatoes, and now Lake Tulare has resurfaced.

Elsewhere in California, some lakes are still covered in ice. Thousands of anglers are expected this weekend for the opening of the Eastern Sierra trout season, but only a handful of lakes will be open due to public safety concerns, including fast-moving streams, frozen shores and flooded roads, the state said. Department of Fisheries and Wildlife said.

“This year’s fishing experience may be different,” the agency said in a statement. (Associated Press)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the body of content may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)