Natural History Wanderings

Yosemite Nature Notes Blog has a new posting on how the dry warm weather from the current drought is effecting Yosemite National Park. Here are a few highlights:

• Badger Pass Ski Area is closed,
• the Valley Stables are open.
• There have been Red Flag Warnings (fire danger) since late December
• The Merced River has flatlined at around 20 cfs (at Pohono Bridge); the average flow for late January is almost seven times that!
• Incense cedar pollen is flying now, producing allergic responses
• Indian Paintbrush  blooming  above El Portal
• too dry for most flowers to emerge.
• only a couple waterfall buttercups blooming near Ned’s Gulch where there were hundreds a year ago

Read full posting at  Yosemite Nature Notes Blog