California deluge, Pineapple Express, floods and closes Yosemite National Park in California (video)

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Yosemite National Park reopened Sunday after flooding that washed out roads during a strong Pacific storm which dropped up to 6 inches (15 centimeters) of rain in two days in Northern California. Roads within Yosemite Valley were swamped by up to 4 feet (1.2 meters) of water that affected electrical and water systems. Most facilities reopened at midday, but officials warned that traffic could be slow as cleanup work continues.

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Yosemite National Park flooded by Pineapple Express in California on April 7, 2018: Floodwaters cover Cooks Meadow and the pedestrian trail through Cooks Meadow in Yosemite Valley in Yosemite, California. Sections of Northside Drive, Southside Drive, and Sentinel Drive remain closed due to high water in the roadway. Parts of Yosemite National Park remained closed as the Merced River peaked several feet above flood stage through the Yosemite Valley. Picture by National Park Service.

The area was closed Friday as a powerful “Pineapple Express” storm moved through. The heaviest rain was in the northern Sierra and in coastal counties from San Francisco north to Mendocino during a 48-hour period ending Saturday afternoon.

Further north, water flows into Lake Oroville following the deluge were not enough to require opening the partially rebuilt spillway at the troubled dam there. The lake level stayed below 800 feet (244 meters) and inflows were tapering off. Officials said last week they would use the main spillway if the water level reaches 830 feet (253 meters) — but they hoped to avoid it.

The spillway was destroyed last year during a crisis that forced the evacuation of downstream towns amid fears of catastrophic flooding. About a third of it has been fully rebuilt with reinforced structural concrete but the rest has temporary repairs.

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NBC Bay Area

4 Comments

  1. Not in SoCal. The average rainfall is around 11″. So far this season there has been around 4″, that just doesn’t hack it. Looks like another drought is coming and the idiot politicians will be scratching their butts wondering what to do and not planning on doing anything anyway.

  2. Have you see Trump Tower in NY in fire?
    Youtube: **TRUMP TOWER FIRE!** – Heavy Fire on the 50th Floor at Manhattan 4th Alarm 10-76 Box 4500

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