Extreme Weather: Road Closures In California Ahead Of 'Full Throttle' Winter Storm

A strong storm in California has resulted in multiple road closures due to downed telephone lines and extreme weather conditions. Officials have urged residents to stay home if possible and avoid traveling due to zero visibility and difficult road conditions as another storm hits the state at midnight.

"Blizzard conditions will continue in the Sierra" throughout Tuesday, the National Weather Service (NWS) said, as per USA Today. "Steady snowfall will continue ... with a heavier band expected to roll through during the evening commute. Avoid unnecessary travel!"

The NWS also said heavy snow will continue across the mountains of Southern California Tuesday night into Wednesday. Just days earlier, parts of the state were battered by heavy rain, specifically Los Angeles.

Several areas are under a freeze warning from early Wednesday through 9 a.m. Thursday, including Bakersfield, Buena Vista, Los Banos, Mendota, southeast San Joaquin Valley and Caruthers.

"Frost and freeze conditions will kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing," the NWS warned.

The NWS in San Diego said another winter storm that will hit southern California after midnight Tuesday "will be felt full throttle" in the region. The storm will be accompanied by heavy mountain snow and strong west winds.

Road closures have been announced by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) as part of the efforts to keep residents updated on travel conditions in affected areas.

The Caltrans District 2 office said the EB/WB LAS 44 – Roadway is closed due to "multiple spinouts and winter weather conditions."

State Route 32 also remains closed as of writing.

Meanwhile, State Route 36, which was shut down earlier Tuesday, has been opened after it was closed due to zero visibility.

Caltrans District 3 tweeted that Highway 50 has been reopened to traffic. However, Interstate 80 remains closed "and likely won't reopen until some time" Wednesday.

Caltrans District 4 has shut down State Route 130 but will allow the passage of local residents, postal service personnel and employees from the Lick Observatory.

State Route 182 in Mono County is closed, and it is unclear when the route will be reopened to traffic.

In California's District 10, downed telephone lines caused the closure of State Route 26 at Ridge Road Tuesday evening.

The route has since been opened to one-way traffic. Officials urged travelers to use an alternate route if possible.

Meanwhile, the NWS has placed several areas across California under winter weather alerts.

Winter storm warning effective through 4 a.m. Wednesday:

• Motherlode, Sacramento Valley, eastern Shasta County, northeastern Foothills and Burney Basin (up to 20 inches of snow accumulations over Sierra foothills)

Winter storm warnings effective through 4 p.m. Wednesday:

• San Bernardino County Mountains (up to 36 inches of snow accumulations possible above 6,500 feet)
• Fresno-Tulare lower Sierra, south end of lower Sierra and Mariposa-Madera lower Sierra (up to 18 inches of snow accumulations possible)

Winter storm warnings effective through 10 p.m. Wednesday:

• Riverside County Mountains (up to 36 inches of snow accumulations possible)
• San Diego County Mountains (wind gusts as high as 70 miles per hour possible)
• Shasta Lake Area, northern Shasta County, mountains southwestern Shasta County to western Colusa County
• Los Angeles County Mountains, Ventura County Mountains and Santa Barbara County Mountains (up to 20 inches of snow accumulations possible above 5,000 feet)

Blizzard warning effective through 4 a.m. Wednesday:

• Lassen Park, western Plumas County and the West slope of northern Sierra Nevada

Blizzard warning effective through 4 p.m. Wednesday:

• Sierra Nevada – Grant Grove area, Kaiser to Rodgers Ridge, Sequoia NP, Yosemite Valley, Yosemite NP outside of the valley, San Joaquin River Canyon and Kings Canyon NP