(NEW YORK) — The gates at Yosemite National Park have been shuttered due to extreme weather and climate conditions for a second time in less than a year.
The park has closed indefinitely after up to 15 feet of snow fell in some areas, the National Park Service announced on Tuesday night.
Yosemite had already been closed since Feb. 25 due to the storm that brought unusual amounts of snow to parts of California and was supposed to reopen on Wednesday.
Park officials are attempting to restore critical services so visitors can safely return, according to the National Park Service. However, there is no estimated date for reopening.
A major winter storm brought blizzard conditions to the Sierra Nevada mountains. Places like Soda Springs, California, about 200 miles north of Yosemite National Park, have seen about 109 inches of snow in the last week, according to the National Weather Service. More than 50 inches fell in the past two days.
Residents in the region are now being forced to dig out of their homes. Photos posted to Twitter by the National Park Service show homes nearly buried in snow and exterior doorways blocked by snowpack.
An additional 19 states are now on winter weather advisories for blizzards, heavy snow, damaging winds and flooding as the storm system moves east.
Portions of the park have closed several times over the past year due to conditions caused by extreme weather and climate.
In December, Big Oak Flat Road was closed for several days after a winter storm caused rocks to fall.
Wildfires in July last year that threatened the sequoia trees in the Mariposa Grove forced the national park to close its southern entrance.
ABC News’ Max Golembo and Marilyn Heck contributed to this report.
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