SNOW COULD FALL ON THE 5
New storm is expected to cause dangerous driving conditions along the Grapevine.
Los Angeles County residents may have enjoyed clear skies Friday, but a new storm system arriving over the weekend is expected to bring light rain and enough mountain snow to cause hazardous driving conditions on the Grapevine stretch of the 5 Freeway.
A low-pressure system of Arctic air is making its way south and was forecast to drop up to an inch of rain as it moved into San Luis Obispo and northern Santa Barbara counties Friday afternoon and evening before reaching Ventura and Los Angeles counties by Saturday morning, according to the National Weather Service.
“We are not expecting a lot of rain with this storm, really,” said Lisa Phillips of the National Weather Serv-
ice in Oxnard.
The real concern for travelers is the low snow level, which will drop to 3,500 to 4,000 feet by Saturday morning, forecasters said. Higher mountains could see 2 to 4 inches of snow.
Motorists on the Grapevine should expect snow, gusty winds and reduced visibility, all leading to delays, according to the weather service.
Some Santa Barbara County peaks could see as much as 6 inches of snow, the weather service said.
In Northern California, more than 120 visitors and staffers who became snowbound at Montecito Sequoia Lodge in Kings Canyon National Park were rescued late Thursday after U.S. Forest Service crews cleared eight miles of snow and more than 20 fallen trees on Generals Highway.
And the heavy snowfall this week at Yosemite National Park has toppled trees, knocked out power and damaged camp grounds. Some roads and facilities including the Yosemite Ski and Snowboard Area remained closed Friday, officials said.
No one was injured during the storm, which from Monday through Wednesday dumped 18 to 24 inches of snow on Yosemite Valley and several feet in the high country.
The park is open, but all visitor services at Half Dome Village remained closed Friday as the damage was assessed and repairs begun.
About 50 guest cabins at Half Dome Village were damaged or destroyed, as well as 50 to 70 housing units for concession employees, National Park Service officials said. Alternative housing was being arranged for about 150 workers.
Upper Pines Campground, which was deemed unsafe after trees fell on its restrooms, also remained closed Friday, officials said.
No damage estimates have been compiled, and it is not known when all of the facilities will be reopened.
“Visitor and employee safety remains the highest priority for the National Park Service and the park concessioner,” a statement from the park service said.
Officials advised visitors to check the park and concessioner websites for updates on openings and operating hours.
Road closures and delays could continue over the next several days along Big Oak Flat Road (Highway 120 West), Wawona Road (Highway 41) and El Portal Road (Highway 140) within the park, officials said.
Updated 24-hour road and weather conditions for Yosemite National Park are available at (209) 372-0200 and on the park’s website at www.nps.gov/yose.
The January storms brought record rains to the state and massive amounts of snow to the mountains, and helped double the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada.
Below-normal temperatures are expected through next week throughout Southern California.