Weather
Mount Shasta in California, who just announced they are to reopen above 10,000-ft, can expect precipitation this weekend, turning to heavy snow on Saturday night into Sunday.Â
The forecast is calling for the potential for over 2-feet of fresh snow at higher elevations.
Upper ridging quickly moves east tonight and a cold front will march east towards the coast by Saturday morning. Tonight should remain dry with precipitation not expected to reach the coast until shortly after daybreak Saturday. The front will be slow to move in and there good agreement it won`t push into the Rogue Valley until Saturday afternoon, then east of the Cascades Saturday night. Snow levels will remain above the passes Saturday and Saturday night, thus no road snow concerns are expected. This front will bring a good dose of rainfall to the coast, coastal mountains and Cascades, although all areas along and west of the Cascades will get measurable rain.
Freeze-thaw conditions will exist, with a high Friday of 46°F following yesterday’s low of 32°F.
Winds will gradually increase over the weekend, with gusts over 100-mph expected on Saturday evening.
Following a three-week closure above 10,000-feet, Forest Service officials have announced Mount Shasta will reopen on May 16th. In alignment with current federal, state, and local guidance for social distancing and to ensure the health and safety of climbers and employees, the Shasta-Trinity National Forest temporarily closed the area on Mt. Shasta above 10,000-feet in elevation on April 23, 2020, with that order expiring May 16th.
Although the mountain will reopen, officials are pleading with the public to practice responsible social distancing guidelines. A summit pass ($25), wilderness permit, and human waste pack-out bag are still required to summit the mountain, and rangers will be checking. A spike in coronavirus cases in the area could result in another closure. Springtime is the most popular time to climb Mt. Shasta and during a typical year will attract up to 7,000 climbers.
Climbing also involves inherent risks, especially on the exposed upper slopes and ridges of the mountain, and each year, a number of climbers end up injured, lost or sick. Law enforcement and/or search and rescue operations may still be limited at this time. High-risk activities such as rock climbing or backcountry activities that increase your chance of injury or distress should be avoided in all areas of the forest at this time.
You can view the original order and closure map at www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd728978.pdf.
For more information, please call the Ranger Station at (530) 440-4509 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Mount Shasta is a potentially active volcano at the southern end of the Cascade Range in Siskiyou County, California. At an elevation of 14,179 feet, it is the second-highest peak in the Cascades and the fifth-highest in the state. Mount Shasta has an estimated volume of 85 cubic miles, which makes it the most voluminous stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc. The mountain and surrounding area are part of the Shasta–Trinity National Forest.
