This is an important reminder from the National Weather Service office in Sacramento. This is especially relevant for those celebrating Memorial Day weekend in or near area rivers:
AS THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND APPROACHES...WE WOULD LIKE TO ONCE AGAIN
REMIND PEOPLE ABOUT THE HIDDEN DANGERS OF THE SPRING SNOW MELT
SEASON. TEMPERATURES THIS WEEKEND WILL FINALLY WARM INTO THE LOWER
TO MID 80S IN THE VALLEY...OR AROUND NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR.
THE COMBINATION OF THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND AND WARMER TEMPERATURES WILL
ENTICE MORE PEOPLE OUTSIDE TO WATER ACTIVITIES. RECREATIONALISTS ON
AREA RIVERS...STREAMS...AND RESERVOIRS SHOULD TAKE GREAT CARE IN AND
NEAR THE WATER AT ALL TIMES...ESPECIALLY DURING THE SPRING SNOW MELT
SEASON...WHEN WATER TEMPERATURES ARE SO COLD.
DURING THE LATTER PART OF OUR SPRING AND EARLY SUMMER...THE WATER IN
OUR AREA RIVERS...STREAMS...AND RESERVOIRS IS BEING FED DIRECTLY
FROM THE MELTING SNOW PACK. THE RECENT COOL WEATHER HAS SLOWED THIS
MELTING OF THE MOUNTAIN SNOW PACK. PEAK FLOWS FROM THE SPRING SNOW
MELT ARE NOT EXPECTED UNTIL MID JUNE...WITH MOUNTAIN RIVER AND
STREAM LEVELS CONTINUING TO RISE OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
HOWEVER...OUR RIVERS AND STREAMS ARE STILL RUNNING HIGH. MEANING
THAT THEY ARE RUNNING VERY FAST...WITH UNFORESEEN SWIFT MOVING
CURRENTS AND COLD WATER.
WATER TEMPERATURES THIS WEEKEND AND FOR MUCH OF JUNE WILL BE IN THE
LOW 50S IN LOWER ELEVATION RIVERS...STREAMS AND RESERVOIRS. COLDER
WATER TEMPERATURES WILL PERSIST IN THE FOOTHILLS AND
MOUNTAINS...RANGING IN THE MID TO UPPER 40S.
ANYONE CAUGHT IN THESE COLD AND SWIFT MOVING WATERS UNPREPARED
CAN QUICKLY EXPERIENCE HYPOTHERMIA. HYPOTHERMIA IS A SUDDEN LOSS
OF BODY TEMPERATURE THAT CAN BE FATAL. WARNING SIGNS FOR HYPOTHERMIA
INCLUDE UNCONTROLLED SHIVERING... MEMORY LOSS...DISORIENTATION...
INCOHERENCE...SLURRED SPEECH...DROWSINESS...AND APPARENT EXHAUSTION.
HYPOTHERMIA IS AN UNSEEN DANGER THAT CAN STRIKE QUICKLY. MONITOR
CHILDREN CLOSELY AS HYPOTHERMIA CAN OCCUR FASTER IN CHILDREN THAN IN
ADULTS.
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