Page 4 - aruba-today-20240827

A4 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 27 augusT 2024
Heat waves, wildfires and now … snow?

California endures a summer of extremes

By JOHN ANTCZAK and forecasters said.
SOPHIE AUSTIN Tioga Pass rises to more than
Associated Press 9,900 feet (3,017 meters)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — and serves as the eastern
An unusually cold weather entryway to Yosemite. But
system from the Gulf of it is usually closed much of
Alaska interrupted summer each year by winter snow
along the West Coast on that can take one or two
Saturday, bringing snow to months to clear.
mountains in California and While the start of ski season
the Pacific Northwest and is at least several months
prompting the closure of away, the hint of winter was
part of a highway that runs welcomed by resorts.
through a national park. “It’s a cool and blustery Au-
Parts of Highway 89 through gust day here at Palisades
Lassen Volcanic National Tahoe, as a storm that could
Park in California were shut bring our first snowfall of the
down after an estimated 3 season moves in this after-
inches (7.6 centimeters) of noon!” the resort said in a
snow fell overnight, accord- social media post Friday.
ing to the National Weather The “anomalous cool condi-
Service. tions” will spread over much
Photos posted by the agen- of the western U.S. by Sun-
cy and local authorities A coating of snow is seen below ski lifts at Sugarbowl Ski Resort Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in day morning, according
showed a high-elevation Donner Summit, Calif. to the National Weather
blanket of white on Mount Associated Press Service’s Weather Predic-
Rainier in Washington along derland in the middle of for most of Saturday before through Redding, Red Bluff tion Center in College Park,
with a dusting of snow at summer,” he said in a state- reopening. Torrential rains and Stockton in Northern Maryland.
Minaret Vista, a lookout ment. “It made for a day I upended last year’s festi- California on Saturday, the Despite the expected pre-
point southeast of Yosemite won’t soon forget, and a val, turning the celebration weather service said, and cipitation, forecasters also
National Park in California’s unique reminder of why I and its temporary city into a rain showers south of Lake warned of fire danger be-
Sierra Nevada. love serving in this area. It’s muddy quagmire. Oroville were expected to cause of gusty winds asso-
Madera County Deputy just one of those moments It also snowed overnight continue into the evening. ciated with the passage of
Sheriff Larry Rich said it was that makes working up here on Mammoth Mountain, a A dusting of snow fell over- the cold front.
“definitely unexpected” to so special.” ski destination in California, night on the crest of the Si- At the same time, a flash
see snow at Minaret Vista in In northern Nevada, rain with the National Weather erra Nevada around Tioga flood watch was issued for
August. fell in the runup to the an- Service warning hikers and Pass, the weather service the burn scar of California’s
“It’s not every day you get nual Burning Man festival, campers to prepare for slick said. largest wildfire so far this year
to spend your birthday sur- prompting organizers to roads. August snow has not oc- from Friday morning through
rounded by a winter won- close the entrance gate Record rainfall moved curred there since 2003, Saturday morning. q

Death of woman on 1st day of Burning Man festival under

investigation

By SCOTT SONNER ties said Monday that they terculture festival known as are cooperating fully with iner’s Office wasn’t imme-
Associated Press are investigating the death Burning Man, which is held local authorities as they in- diately returned Monday.
RENO, Nev. (AP) — Authori- of a woman at the coun- annually in the northern Ne- vestigate this incident.” Allen said the woman’s
vada desert. About a half-dozen other name and age won’t be
The Pershing County Sher- deaths have been report- released until her relatives
iff’s Office said emergency ed at the festival since it can be notified.
personnel responded to a moved from Baker Beach in The festival, which com-
call about a woman found San Francisco to the Black bines wilderness camping
unresponsive around noon Rock desert in 1990. Last with a weeklong celebra-

Sunday in Black Rock City year, a 32-year-old Califor- tion of art for art’s sake,
a temporary city erected nia man died from suspect- kicked off early Sunday
for the festival, about 100 ed drug intoxication after after the gates had been
miles (160 kilometers) north being found unresponsive closed for 12 hours follow-
of Reno. on the festival grounds. ing rain and muddy condi-
The Burning Man Project’s Pershing County Sheriff Jer- tions.
emergency services per- ry Allen said in a statement An estimated 20,000 peo-
sonnel were unsuccessful in that Sunday’s death will ple were already on the
attempted life-saving mea- remain under investigation playa before the gates of-
sures on the woman. until a cause and manner ficially opened to all ticket-
“Our thoughts and condo- can be determined, which holders.
This image released by Maxar Technologies shows an overview lences go out to the fam- will be updated at the con- Burning Man runs through
of the Burning Man 2024 festival, Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024, in Black ily and friends affected by clusion of an autopsy. Sept. 2 . Organizers expect
Rock City, Nev. this loss,” festival organizers A call to the Washoe Coun- more than 70,000 people to
Associated Press said in a statement. “We ty Regional Medical Exam- attend this year’s event.q