Holiday drivers traveling between Valley, Southern California impacted by snowstorm
Holiday travelers driving between the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California were being asked to take heed of road conditions, as a winter storm continued to impact numerous main highways.
The storm couldn’t have come at a worse time for thousands of drivers, as the days around Christmas are typically among the highest for road travel during the year.
Interstate 5 in the Grapevine area remained shut down to vehicle traffic as of early Friday, complicating travel for drivers who need to go between Bakersfield and Los Angeles to reach destinations.
Furthermore, Highway 58, a primary route to Las Vegas for Valley residents, also was closed Friday in the Tehachapi area. Travelers heading to Los Angeles were advised to take coastal routes such as Highway 41 to Highway 101.
Areas near Kern County were greeted with a heavy snowstorm overnight after Christmas. The Tehachapi area received 12 inches of snow and 18 inches of snow fell on the Frazier Park area, said Modesto Vasquez, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Hanford.
Fortunately, vacationers heading to Yosemite National Park and the Sierra weren’t as impacted by the storm, and road conditions were generally normal in those areas.
The Yosemite National Park area received a very light snowfall in the last 24 hours following Christmas, Vasquez said.
But another storm system is expected to come in late Sunday night with precipitation, windy conditions and fog throughout the Valley, Vasquez said, though it’s still unclear how much rain the system will bring. A few patches of fog are expected early Friday morning in the Central Valley.
Thus far, Fresno County has seen 2.09 inches of rain in the month of December. In December 2018, Fresno County saw about half an inch of rain, making this month much wetter compared to last year.
Meanwhile Merced County saw 2.70 inches of rain for December, Vasquez said, which is 1.60 inches above normal.
People should postpone trips when it’s snowing, Vasquez said. If their trips can’t be postponed, they need to be prepared with snow tire chains and warm clothes.
This story was originally published December 26, 2019 at 4:12 PM with the headline "Holiday drivers traveling between Valley, Southern California impacted by snowstorm."
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