Yosemite could see snow in August for first time in 20 years. Here’s when flakes will fall

Heading to Yosemite National Park? You might want to swap your shorts for a sweater.

The area is expected to see some rare summertime snow this week.

“A dusting of snow is possible above 8,000 feet on Friday evening until Sunday morning in the highest elevations of the Sierra Nevada,” the National Weather Service’s Hanford office wrote Wednesday in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The best chances for snowfall will be in the high country of Yosemite National Park, the weather service said.

There’s a 30% to 50% chance in the area for 0.1 inches of snow and a 20% to 40% chance of 0.5 inches, the agency said.

“There could be some hikers that are up there to be caught off guard,” National Weather Service meteorologist Andrew Bollenbacher said. “You’re not used to seeing snow in August, right? I mean, almost nobody is.”

Is snow in August rare?

“August snow has not occurred (in Yosemite) for at least 20 years,” the weather service said.

Usually, snow becomes visible in the area in September.

Weather in the Sierra Nevada can change rapidly at any time of the year since elevation plays a major role in temperature and precipitation variability, the National Park Service said on its website.

Because the park varies in elevation from 2,000 feet to more 13,000 feet, the National Park Service said, “The lower foothills of the park can be experiencing the rebirth of spring while the higher elevations remain in the grip of winter.

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What to expect at Yosemite National Park

According to the weather service, the Yosemite area could see a “quick coating of snow” on Friday night and Saturday morning.

“Tioga Road may become slippery before snow melts,” the agency said, and visbility on the roadway will be “greatly reduced.”

“Any hikers or campers should be prepared for winter-like conditions,” the weather service said.

Bollenbacher said would-be visitors should avoid traveling to the area during that time period.

What’s in the latest weather forecast for Yosemite?

Yosemite National Park and the surrounding area will be sunny on Wednesday with high temperatures of 58 to 72 degrees and wind gusts up to 15 mph, according to the weather service’s seven-day forecast.

On Wednesday night, the temperature could dip as low as 33 to 49 degrees and gusts of up to 25 mph.

More sunny weather is expected Thursday, as well as wind gusts around 30 mph. The high will be 56 to 68, while the overnight low will be around 29 to 43.

Friday will be mostly sunny, the weather service said, with highs of 45 to 59 and wind gusts reaching 45 mph

On Friday night, when temperatures will drop down to 26 to 42 degrees, there’s a 30% chance of snow with showers after midnight.

Area residents and visitors can expect rain and snow on Saturday morning, with rain and snow showers in the afternoon, according to the weather service. The highs will be 45 to 59 and the lows will be 24 to 43.

The chance of precipitation that day is 30%.

According to the weather service’s forecast, Sunday will be mostly clear and warmer with highs from 58 to 70 and overnight lows of 35 to 51.

Monday will see highs of 63 to 77 and lows of 40 to 56.

High temperatures on Tuesday will range from 64 to 78.

This story was originally published August 21, 2024 at 1:22 PM.