Travel

Yosemite Waterfalls Reach Their Peak In May, But Exceptional Snowpack May Fuel More Dangerous Flooding

1/8
Yosemite Falls is seen in Yosemite National Park, California. The waterfall is at its peak in May. (Matteo Colombo via Getty Images)

1/8
Yosemite Falls is seen in Yosemite National Park, California. The waterfall is at its peak in May. (Matteo Colombo via Getty Images)

At a Glance

Yosemite National Park's waterfalls typically reach peak flow in May.
This year's exceptional snowpack could make those waterfalls dangerous to access.

Sign up for the Morning Brief email newsletter to get weekday updates from The Weather Channel and our meteorologists.

May is typically a wonderful time to visit Yosemite National Park, as many of the park’s most famous waterfalls reach peak flow this month. The waterfalls are fed by snowmelt, and by May, the warmer weather is fueling much of the snow to melt and flow into the gorgeous waterfalls throughout the park.

This spring may bring exceptionally spectacular views, as this year’s snowpack is well above average in California’s Sierra Nevada. However, the heavy snowpack could create dangerous flooding as it did in late April, which forced the park’s closure. Flood risk is expected to peak in late May and early June, and snowmelt could continue late into the summer.

The park’s website reports that the Merced River in Yosemite Valley is likely to remain high into mid-July, making the river unsafe for swimming, rafting and boating.

(MORE: You'll Need A Reservation At These National Parks)

By late summer, many of the waterfalls, including Yosemite Falls, are often only a trickle or completely dry. Some are rejuvenated by late fall storms, but spring brings the most reliable, constant flow to the falls. That could change this year due to the heavy snowpack.

The waterfalls that usually reach peak flow in May include Yosemite Falls, Sentinel Falls, Ribbon Fall, Bridalveil Fall, Nevada Fall, Vernal Fall, Illilouette Fall, Wapama Falls and Chilnualna Falls, but there are many more waterfalls throughout the park that reach peak and offer beautiful views in the month of May.

The Yosemite National Park website reports that Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall, Bridalveil Fall and Yosemite Falls are flowing very high for this time of year warning visitors to use extreme caution near any flowing water and to stay back from riverbanks. The park notest that on May 1, snowpack was 253% of average in the Tuolumne River basin and 231% of average in the Merced River basin for this time of year.

Click through the slideshow above to see images of some of Yosemite’s waterfalls that experience peak flow this month.

MORE FROM WEATHER.COM: The 10 Most Dazzling Waterfalls In The US

1/10
1. Palouse Falls, Washington
The otherworldly Palouse Falls is seen in southeast Washington. (Raico Rosenberg/Getty Images)

1/10
1. Palouse Falls, Washington
The otherworldly Palouse Falls is seen in southeast Washington. (Raico Rosenberg/Getty Images)

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.