Yosemite National Park closes during severe California winter storm

Yosemite National Park is closed to the public for the rest of February due to unusual winter conditions in the Bay Area.

The National Park Service announced that the park plans to open on Wednesday. Yosemite was under a winter storm warning until 4 p.m. on Saturday, when it was downgraded to a winter storm watch.

Pictures from Yosemite show low visibility and thick blankets of snow covering the entire park, with no seeable paths or roads.

The closure comes days after a massive rockfall was recorded at Yosemite. The park closed Northside Drive for 24 hours in response, though no one was harmed during the rockfall.

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California’s unusually wintry weather over the past week has brought flooding and blizzard conditions across the state. Ventura County in Southern California experienced flash floods late Friday night. 

But the storm also improved California’s water supply, as areas of the state have suffered from a drought conditions for years. Officials were cautiously optimistic about the improvement.

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“We’re all too aware of uncertainties that exist and how rapidly conditions in California can change,” U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Regional Director Ernest Conant said. 

“And not all river basins were equally improved, highlighting the need that late winter and early spring rain and snow is still needed,” Conant added.

Yosemite also closed on February 5, 2019, due to similar winter conditions. Heavy snow conditions made the park’s roads unnavigable.

Fox News’ Julia Musto contributed to this report.