Clear Lake/Southern Lake County

... Cool and showery weather for Memorial Day...

* hikers... campers and other outdoor enthusiasts are advised to
be prepared for the much cooler and showery weather on
Monday... possibly into the middle of next week in the mountains.

* Conditions may be quite wet at times... especially in the
northern Sierra Nevada. Snow levels will remain high but some
accumulation may occur over the higher peaks.

* Daytime high temperatures 10 to 16 degrees below normal on
Memorial Day... gradually warming through the week but still
remaining below normal.

* Synopsis... low pressure moving over the area will bring cool and
unsettled weather to the interior of northern California for the
Memorial Day Holiday.

... Warm weather and fast flowing cold water are a deadly
combination...

Area rivers... streams and reservoirs are directly fed from the
melting snow pack in the Sierra Nevada. Even though a stream
or river looks cool and inviting... the water is actually very
cold. Outdoor enthusiasts are advised to use extreme caution near
rivers... streams and reservoirs.

If you are planning travel into the Sierra Nevada... the Sierra
foothills... or to valley waterways this weekend... remember that
the increased cold water flow in rivers... streams and
reservoirs... combined with expected temperatures in the
80s to lower 90s... can be a potentially deadly combination.

People planning activities such as rafting... swimming or
paddling should always wear life jackets or vests... and keep other
flotation gear handy when in the water. Be aware that exposure to
cold water for too long could quickly result in hypothermia.
Hypothermia is a sudden loss of body temperature which can be
fatal. Early signs of hypothermia are uncontrollable shivering and
numbness of limbs. The advanced stages of hypothermia include...
memory loss... disorientation... slurred speech... drowsiness and
apparent exhaustion. A person may appear drunk during the advanced
stage and shivering may decrease or stop. If you witness someone
suffering from the symptoms of hypothermia... get help immediately.

If you are camping near a river or stream... remember that the
highest water levels occur at night... usually within an hour or
two either side of midnight. A campground may look dry and safe
in the late afternoon... but can take on water at night.