MOUNTAIN AREA — A hazardous weather outlook has been noted for the foothills of Madera and Mariposa counties, including the Sierra Nevada from Yosemite to Kings Canyon, and a flash flood watch is in effect for elevations below 6,000 feet. The flash flood watch starts Saturday night, Mar. 5 and continues through Monday afternoon, Mar. 7, according to the National ...

SACRAMENTO – Results of the winter’s second media-oriented manual snow survey by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) confirmed what Californians already know — It’s raining and snowing much more this winter than last. Rainfall and the Sierra Nevada snowpack’s water content are both markedly improved this water year, and storage in the state’s major reservoirs also has increased significantly ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — A winter storm warning and hazardous weather conditions could mean up to two feet of snow in the high country, while rain, possible thunderstorms and snowfall are anticipated in the lower elevations this weekend. A flash flood watch issued for the Sierra Nevada and adjacent foothills has been canceled as of mid-morning Saturday, Jan. 30. Click on ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — The National Weather Service (NWS) in Hanford is reporting that our next storm system will start to hit the Central California Interior beginning late Friday and continue into the weekend. The exact track and timing are still uncertain, say the experts, but this system has the potential to bring hazardous impacts to the region. Snow is likely ...

MOUNTAIN AREA – The first full day of winter was a wet one, and while a flash flood watch expired at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 22, area residents can look forward to just a little break in the rain on Wednesday, Dec. 23, before another system, colder but drier, moves in on Thursday, ending on Friday. According to the ...

CALIFORNIA — Head outdoors and enjoy some of the country’s most magical places — America’s national wildlife refuges offer unparalleled opportunities to experience the great outdoors and see a rich diversity of wildlife in beautiful natural settings. If that wasn’t enticement enough, refuges that normally charge entrance fees will offer an additional incentive—free admission on these days in 2016: January ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — A set of storm systems arriving this week are expected to bring more than an inch of rain to the foothills and better than a foot of snow to higher elevations. A Winter Storm Watch has already been issued for the southern Sierra Nevada from Yosemite National Park to Kings Canyon from 4 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 10 ...

COARSEGOLD – Though not every El Niño brings torrential rain and the resulting disasters, analysts believe with 95 percent certainty that this winter’s event will do just that, says John Kirk of the California Department of Water Resources. Kirk addressed a standing-room-only crowd at the Clubhouse in Yosemite Lakes Park on Saturday, introducing them to new terms and concepts, such ...

Submitted by William Miller COARSEGOLD – Yosemite Lakes Owners Association (YLOA) and Yosemite Lakes Community Church have scheduled a timely Town Hall Meeting on El Niño preparation. The meeting is open to anyone in the greater foothills community, and is set for Saturday, Nov. 14, from 10 a.m. to noon, at the YLOA Clubhouse. A “monster” El Niño event has ...

MADERA COUNTY – The next time you are summoned to appear for jury duty, the experience is likely to be far more pleasant as you report to the brand new Madera County Courthouse that replaces the century-old building in which the court has been operating. On Friday, Aug. 14, several hundred people gathered for a ribbon cutting and tour of ...