Winter Storm in Kern Cty Mtns, California

California Highway Patrol reported several hundred vehicles stranded along Interstate 5 near 4000 feet near Lebec with numerous accidents and overturned vehicles in the area. Interstate 5 was closed for 7.5 hours in both directions. An estimated 2 to 4 inches of snow was reported by stranded motorists.

A low pressure system approached the central California coast during the early morning of January 14 then dropped southeast and moved into southern California during the afternoon. As the low dropped southeastward along the coast it spread deep moisture inland producing heavy snow in the Kern County Mountains above 4000 feet. Interstate 5 was closed for 7.5 hours as numerous accidents resulted in hundreds of stranded and overturned vehicles. In addition to the heavy snow, strong winds produced local whiteout conditions in the Kern County Mountains and gusts above 60 mph were reported in the Bear Valley Springs area, and several other locations in the Kern County Mountains and south end of the San Joaquin Valley measured wind gusts above 50 mph.