Some were dipping a toe in the chilly waters that were a sharp contrast to the warm weather. “Next week, when it cools off, there won’t be as much snowmelt nor as much flooding,' South said.ĭownstream from the Lake Tahoe region, people on Friday were flocking to enjoy a day of recreation along the American River, which was swollen from the melting snow. But next week's forecast is expected to help. South urged visitors to the Yosemite area to stay alert as the Merced River, which runs through the park, is expected to rise as the snow melts. Other sections including western Yosemite Valley will remain open. The eastern section of Yosemite Valley will stay shut at least until May 3, and reservations for campgrounds and lodging in the eastern valley are being canceled and refunded, park officials said. “We’re going to go from highs in the mid-90s on Saturday to highs in the upper 60s on Tuesday,” South said. This week’s temperatures are 15 degrees higher than normal for this time of year, but are expected to cool next week, said Bill South, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Hanford. High temperatures speed up the pace of the snowmelt, especially when nighttime temperatures no longer dip below freezing. Across California’s fertile San Joaquin Valley, temperatures are expected to climb into the mid-90s (35 degrees Celsius) through Saturday, and a flood warning was in effect for rivers, creeks, streams and low-lying areas in Fresno, Kings and Tulare counties, according to the National Weather Service in Hanford. Warming weather is quickly melting huge amounts of snow that accumulated in mountains from a series of epic winter storms.

A Few Good Fish by Amy Lane