Yosemite Today

Half Dome at 8:30 today as the sun explodes overhead.  This view of Yosemite Valley from just east of Yosemite Village

Yosemite Weather Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 43. East northeast wind around 5 mph becoming west in the morning.
Tonight Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22. East northeast wind around 5 mph becoming southwest in the evening.

Yosemite Today

 Half Dome and the surrounding high country taken at 7:39 this morning.

Yosemite Today Weather: Mostly sunny, with a high near 32. North wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 10. Wind chill values as low as -6. East northeast wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Art of the Line

Art of the Line -- New Exhibition
February 20 - September 1, 2013
The Mastery Behind Peanuts

Charles Schulz in his studio with an array of his drawing tools.

 Photo taken by Tom Vano, circa 1969.

(Santa Rosa, CA)  During a Good Housekeeping interview novelist Laurie Colwin asked Charles Schulz the magic question, “What sort of things do you always hope people ask you in an interview?” Schulz answered quickly and eagerly, “I always hope they will ask more about the drawing ...”

The new exhibition Art of the Line, on display February 20 through September 1, 2013, at the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center, takes you behind the scenes of the making of one of the world's most beloved comic strips. Learn more about Schulz's process in his own voice as he describes honing his artistic skill and the tools he used in this exhibition of original comic strips and photographs.

Schulz took great pride in producing an aesthetically pleasing and well-designed comic strip. He knew exactly what he was looking for in the design of a Peanuts comic strip but found the explanation of the process elusive.“It’s as difficult as explaining what a poem is about,” he said.

ABOUT THE CHARLES M. SCHULZ MUSEUM & RESEARCH CENTER
The Charles M. Schulz Museum opened in August 2002 to fulfill its mission of preserving, displaying, and interpreting the art of Charles M. Schulz. The museum carries out this mission through changing exhibitions and programming that: build an understanding of cartoonists and cartoon art; illustrate the scope of Schulz’s multi-faceted career; communicate the stories, inspirations and influences of Charles Schulz; and celebrate the life of Charles Schulz and the Peanuts characters.

Charles Schulz examining a strip featuring Lucy in his studio. Photo taken by Tom Vano, circa 1969.

LOCATION
The Charles M. Schulz Museum is located 50 minutes north of San Francisco by car on Highway 101. The Museum is located at 2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa, California, 95403.

HOURS
Weekdays Monday thru Friday (except Tuesdays*) 11am – 5pm
Saturday & Sunday 10am – 5pm
Closed Tuesdays*
*Open every day throughout the summer (Memorial Day through Labor Day)

Yosemite Today

Yosemite Falls, taken at 8:48 AM, a combination of Upper Yosemite Fall, Middle Cascades, and Lower Yosemite Fall, has a total height of 2,425 feet. In May, you may see Pacific dogwood in bloom just below the waterfall.

Yosemite Today Weather: Snow showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 18. Wind chill values as low as zero. West northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

Tonight A 30 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 13. Wind chill values as low as -2. North northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.


Winter Weather Advisory
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
427 AM PST FRI FEB 8 2013

CAZ096-097-082030-
/O.CON.KHNX.WW.Y.0003.000000T0000Z-130209T0600Z/
SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON-
TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
427 AM PST FRI FEB 8 2013

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS
EVENING...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS
EVENING FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 3 TO 5 INCHES.

* TIMING: THE THREAT OF HEAVIEST SNOW WILL BE FROM THIS MORNING
  THROUGH THE EVENING...DIMINISHING AFTER MIDNIGHT.

* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: CAMP NELSON...GIANT FOREST...JOHNSONDALE...
  LODGEPOLE...SHAVER LAKE...YOSEMITE VALLEY.

* WINDS: 25 TO 30 MPH ALONG THE CREST WITH LOCAL GUSTS UP TO 50
  MPH.

* IMPACTS: SNOW MAY MAKE ROADS IMPASSABLE AND WILL LOWER
  VISIBILITIES. WINDS WILL CREATE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING
  SNOW...AND COULD MAKE TRAVEL DIFFICULT.

* FOR A DETAILED VIEW OF THE HAZARD AREA...VISIT
  HTTP://WWW.WRH.NOAA.GOV/WRH/WHV/?WFO=HNX.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE
TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED
VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

Lighthouses of California: FORT POINT LIGHT

Fort Point Light amidst naval artillery rifles – U.S. Coast Guard Archive

FORT POINT LIGHT

State: CALIFORNIA

Fort Point Light was a lighthouse on Fort Point,
 directly beneath the south anchorage of
 the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California.

Location: SAN FRANCISCO HARBOR ENTRANCE
Nearest City: SAN FRANCISCO
County: SAN FRANCISCO
U.S.C.G. District: 11
Year Station Established: 1853


Existing Historic Tower:
Year Light First Lit: 1864
Is the Light Operational? NO
Date Deactivated: 1934
Automated:
Foundation Materials: BRICK AND GRANITE FORTRESS
Construction Materials: IRON
Markings/Patterns: WHITE W/BLACK LANTERN
Shape: NINE-SIDED ON FORT'S STAIRWAY TOWER
Relationship to Other Structures: INTEGRAL
Tower Height: 27
Original Optic: FOURTH ORDER, FRESNEL
Year Original Lens Installed:
Present Optic: REMOVED
Year Present Lens Installed:
Height of Focal Plane: 110
Fresnel Lens Disposition:
Has tower been moved? NO
Previous Tower(s):
1. Construction Date: 1853
Description: CAPE COD STRUCTURE WITH INTEGRAL TOWER (NEVER LIGHTED)
Fate/Disposition: DEMOLISHED AFTER ONLY 3 MONTHS TO MAKE WAY FOR CONSTRUCTION OF FORT POINT
2. Construction Date: 1855
Description: 2-STORY TRUNCATED WOOD STRUCTURE BETWEEN FORT AND SEAWALL
Fate/Disposition: DEMOLISHED AFTER 8 YEARS WHEN ARMY NEEDED TO MAKE CORRECTIONS TO GRANITE SEAWALL
Modern Tower? NO

Yosemite Today

El Capitan and the Yosemite Valley taken at 9:59 AM this morning.

Yosemite weather today: Sunny, with a temperature falling to around 39 by 5pm.
             Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight Clear, with a low around 25. East northeast wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.

Yosemite Today: Badger Pass Ski Area

 Badger Pass ski area Yosemite National Park at 7:36 AM today.
Today's weather in Yosemite:   Sunny, with a high near 52. East northeast wind around 15 mph,
with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Tonight Clear, with a low around 24. East wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Yosemite Today

El Capitan

El Capitan and Half Dome taken this morning at 8:59 AM.

Todays Weather : Sunny, with a high near 37. Light west northwest wind.

Tonight Mostly clear, with a steady temperature around 24. Light east northeast wind.

Yosemite Today

Yosemite Falls, at 8:31 AM today, a combination of Upper Yosemite Fall, Middle Cascades, and Lower Yosemite Fall, has a total height of 2,425 feet. In May, you may see Pacific dogwood in bloom just below the waterfall.

Weather Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 38. East northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west southwest in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.
Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 17. East northeast wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.

Yosemite Today

Yosemite High Sierra located at about 8,000 feet in elevation, shows Half Dome and the surrounding high country.
Todays Weather: Mostly sunny, with a high near 41. Light and variable wind becoming west 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 22. Calm wind becoming east northeast around 5 mph in the evening.

The Panda Files: "Look Into My Eyes"

   SAN DIEGO – As Xiao Liwu gains strength in his legs, the curious 18-week-old giant panda cub is exploring more, even getting near the camera for an up-close view of his black and white markings. As the cub, whose name means “little gift,” develops, mother Bai Yun will take him into other rooms for the cub to explore in their off-exhibit area. Bai Yun and Xiao Liwu can be seen in action daily online at www.sandiegozoo.org/pandacam. Only 1,600 giant pandas are believed to exist in the wild, and the species is primarily threatened by habitat loss. San Diego Zoo Global, in conjunction with giant panda experts from the People’s Republic of China, continues to work on science-based panda conservation programs at the Zoo and in China.Photo taken on Dec. 4, 2012, by Ken Bohn, San Diego Zoo.