Winter storm brings heavy rain, rare snow to parts of California

Authorities warn residents that extreme climate, together with blizzards, might create harmful driving circumstances in US.

A winter storm has introduced chilly circumstances, rain and blizzard warnings to the western United States.

The Nationwide Climate Service warned on Friday that the “chilly and harmful winter storm” might persist via Saturday in California, with blizzard warnings in impact for mountain ranges throughout the state.

“This will likely be a busy climate day for #SoCal [Southern California] with loads of heavy rain, snow, wind, & even waterspouts or small tornadoes,” the Los Angeles division of the Nationwide Climate Service mentioned on Twitter. “Please be secure.”

Because the winter storm ramps up in California, it's cutting down in different components of the US, such because the Midwest and the Nice Plains, the place the storm knocked out energy for greater than 900,000 folks, killed a firefighter and complex journey over the previous a number of days.

On Friday, practically 300 flights across the US had been cancelled and greater than 900 had been delayed, based on the web site FlightAware.com. Main roads, resembling Interstate 5, was closed south of the Oregon border.

“You don’t wish to be on the highway,” climate forecaster Belen De Leon advised NBC4 in Los Angeles.

Flood watches and warnings had been additionally in impact in some areas of California, and evacuation orders had been issued for a number of areas that had been already laborious hit in December and January by a sequence of atmospheric rivers, which drenched California.

These earlier storms had doused the state in 121 trillion litres (32 trillion gallons) of water, inflicting evacuations, energy outages and widespread flooding.

The most recent storm and frigid temperatures have additionally prompted concern in regards to the climate’s influence on susceptible communities. California has the biggest homeless inhabitants within the US, and plenty of extra folks lack entry to constant shelter or housing in a position to stand up to the weather.

“It was frigid. Your bones ache, and you'll’t get heat,” Terry Stephens, who lives in a trailer together with her son, advised the Los Angeles Instances. “I had three blankets on me final night time, and I used to be nonetheless freezing. Nothing helped.”

Trucks drive in the snow
Vans drive within the snow on San Marcos Cross, positioned 600 metres (2,200ft) above sea stage, alongside Freeway 154 in Santa Barbara County, California, on February 23, 2023 [Mike Eliason/Santa Barbara County Fire Department via AP]

The prospect of snow and excessive chilly is uncommon in components of California identified for temperate climate, and the novelty has been met with shock, amusement and warnings about snowy roads.

One native newspaper, the Santa Barbara Impartial, began its climate protection by acknowledging the bizarre circumstances.

“Blizzards in Santa Barbara County? Yep,” its article learn, echoing the astonishment felt by many residents.

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