WEATHER
Typical early October weather is to have highs near 70 and lows near freezing, however this unseasonably warm weather prevailed during the first week in November. The average November high is in the low 50s and the average low is in the upper 20s, and starting this weekend the weather is back to normal. Clear, sunny days are expected to continue through the middle of the month. Click here for current conditions.
FALL COLOR
It was one of the best seasons ever for fall color, and while there are still a few orange trees in Lee Vining, most of the intense color left the Mono Basin about two weeks ago. The Mono Basin’s quiet, expansive views are now dominated by browns and grays and olives, with white snow capping the Sierra peaks and the vast blue-green-silver of Mono Lake.
HIGH COUNTRY
With colder and dry weather expected, the highest lakes should start maintaining an ice cover that will soon be worth investigating for ice skating opportunities! Tioga Pass remains open and mostly snow-free, making hikes around Tuolumne Meadows very accessible. There is no overnight parking allowed along Tioga Pass Road within Yosemite National Park. Carry chains and check weather and road conditions before leaving home.
BIRDS
Many many Eared Grebes–hundreds of thousands of birds–abound on Mono Lake, unlike recent years when they often left before November. See our Bird and Other Wildlife Sightings page for the latest bird sightings.
WATER
Mono Lake is still dropping, and currently stands at 6381.5 feet above sea level. The colder weather should slow evaporation and the decline in water level. Click here for real-time streamflows. Click here for lake level information.