Yosemite flood risk, closures block some springtime visitors

By HAVEN DALEY and AMY TAXIN
Associated Press

TWIN BRIDGES, Calif. (AP) — Much of the famed valley at California’s Yosemite National Park will be temporarily closed starting Friday due to a forecast of flooding as rising temperatures melt the Sierra Nevada’s massive snowpack. Park officials say the eastern section of Yosemite Valley will stay shut at least until May 3. Spring weather is quickly melting huge amounts of snow that accumulated in mountains from a series of epic winter storms. But temperatures are supposed to cool again next week, slowing the melt. Other recreation activities are also affected by the wintry weather as lakes are still covered with ice ahead of this weekend’s eastern Sierra trout season opener.