If you spend a year in Yosemite National Park you will definitely experience all four seasons! Winter in Yosemite is usually between December and March. It is snowy and cold, but breathtaking. Spring occurs April to May, summer is between June and September, and fall is October till November.
Yosemite in Fall
Yosemite in Winter
Yosemite in Spring! The waterfalls are massive!
Yosemite in Summer! It is the dry time of the year.
Yosemite has a very complicated environmental setting.
Lets start with hydrology!
Yosemite’s hydrologic resources are the Merced and Tuolumne rivers, which all small streams, and creeks will join with. Tuolumne river drains the northern half of the park while the Merced river drain the southern part. The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act protects the quality of these waters, which ensures Yosemite will not be damaged.
Yosemite is a Mediterranean climate, which means cool, wet winters and dry, long summers. Since Yosemite Valley is located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range it is common for large storms to come from the Pacific Ocean. The orographic effect takes place. This is wear the warm moist air is brought to the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the air is forced up to high heights and in turn cools therefore the water condenses and turns in to rain or snow.
keep in mind that the elevation changes so drastically all around Yosemite Valley, which creates different weather experiences in a small area.
Lets start with hydrology!
Yosemite’s hydrologic resources are the Merced and Tuolumne rivers, which all small streams, and creeks will join with. Tuolumne river drains the northern half of the park while the Merced river drain the southern part. The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act protects the quality of these waters, which ensures Yosemite will not be damaged.
Yosemite is a Mediterranean climate, which means cool, wet winters and dry, long summers. Since Yosemite Valley is located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range it is common for large storms to come from the Pacific Ocean. The orographic effect takes place. This is wear the warm moist air is brought to the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the air is forced up to high heights and in turn cools therefore the water condenses and turns in to rain or snow.
keep in mind that the elevation changes so drastically all around Yosemite Valley, which creates different weather experiences in a small area.
Now for geology!
Information found :(http://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/nature/geology.htm)
As I discussed in the first blog post Yosemite’s landscape was formed through glaciation. As a result of millions of years of work between water, ice, and rock Yosemite Valley was formed. An obvious feature of Yosemite is the granite rock, which defines the valley itself, also peaks and domes inside the valley. Granite is formed deep in Earth by the solidification of molten rock material is exposed by erosion of the overlying rocks. Granite is very durable therefore has created lasting massive forms in Yosemite. Even though Yosemite is beautiful there are many geologic dangers. Geologic dangers include rockfalls, rockslides, rock avalanches, seismic activity, debris flow, and global warming changes.
Information found :(http://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/nature/geology.htm)
As I discussed in the first blog post Yosemite’s landscape was formed through glaciation. As a result of millions of years of work between water, ice, and rock Yosemite Valley was formed. An obvious feature of Yosemite is the granite rock, which defines the valley itself, also peaks and domes inside the valley. Granite is formed deep in Earth by the solidification of molten rock material is exposed by erosion of the overlying rocks. Granite is very durable therefore has created lasting massive forms in Yosemite. Even though Yosemite is beautiful there are many geologic dangers. Geologic dangers include rockfalls, rockslides, rock avalanches, seismic activity, debris flow, and global warming changes.
Yosemite is located in the central Sierra Nevada Mountains and geographically is located adjacent to three wildernesses: the Ansel Adams Wilderness, Hoover Wilderness, and Emigrant wilderness. Mariposa Grove is near the Southern end of Yosemite. It has the largest grove of Giant Sequoias in the park.
Yosemite is about the size of Rhode Island and contains eight hundred miles of hiking trails.
Yosemite is about the size of Rhode Island and contains eight hundred miles of hiking trails.