California's Hiking Impacted by Event Not Seen in Over 20 Years

For the first time in more than 20 years, hiking in California is going to be impacted by this event.

Clouds roll over the Sierra Nevada near Reno on March 23, 2024. / JASON BEAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

Anyone who was planning a late summer trip to California to hike the Sierra Nevada is going to have to change their plans. Or, at the very least, the kind of clothes that you will be packing for the trip.

According to the National Weather Service in California, there are sections of Sierra Nevada that are going to get snow this weekend. The high country in Yosemite National Park has the highest likelihood of seeing snowfall.

There is a minuscule chance of snowfall being more than half and inch on Friday at Vogelsang, but after 5 a.m. on Saturday, Tioga Pass jumps to 25 percent. Vogelsang is at 20 and Tuolumne Meadows is at 10. 

By 5 p.m. on Saturday, Vogelsang’s percentage jumps to 40 percent, which is the same as Tioga Pass. Tuolumne Meadows is 25 percent at that time.

Wolf is five percent at 5 a.m. and 20 percent after 5 p.m. It remains at 20 percent after 5 a.m. Sunday morning, which is the same as Tuolumne Meadows. Tioga Pass and Vogelsang are both at 35 percent early Sunday.

These aren’t going to be blizzard conditions, but the NWS wants people to be prepared for what is to come this weekend. Forecasters from Hanford, California believe this could be something you only see happen once in your life. It has been over 20 years since snowfall was recorded in August.

“An unusually, early, cold storm, even for the High Sierra above 8000 feet. August snow has not occurred in these locations for at least 20 years,” NWS Hanford posted on their official account on X. “Although these are light amounts, motorists and hikers should be aware of this forecast.”

Temperatures could reach as low as 29 degrees Fahrenheit at Truckee, as shared by Juan Hernandez of The Inertia. Normally, snowfall doesn’t occur in these areas of California until October.

But, this year things are different because of how cold the area has been. Temperatures have been between 10-15 degrees colder than average. Even in the highest peaks, this is something that has rarely been seen in California.

If temperatures are this low during the summer, things could be brutal during the winter time. But, adventure sports lovers could really benefit if there is fresh snow regularly falling on the mountains.