Unprecedented blizzard conditions expected in local mountains

Interstate 5 remained open Wednesday evening following light snow that forced a few police escorts over the Grapevine. Conditions were far worse along Highway 58, with Caltrans citing multiple vehicle spinouts and jackknifed tractor-trailers in a closure decision before 5 p.m. The agency offered no estimate of when the highway might reopen.

By 6 p.m., snow in the Tehachapi area measured six to eight inches deep, heightening concerns of travel disruptions that could last days. Snow accumulation at that time amounted to between three and six inches in the Lake Isabella area, according to the National Weather Service. No snow was reported by Wednesday evening in the Frazier Park area.

Concerns about worsening conditions were such that a funeral set for Friday in Tehachapi had to be postponed indefinitely, mainly because family from out of town worried about getting stuck in the storm.

“They said, ‘We’re not coming if there’s a blizzard coming,’” said Christal Wheeler, funeral director at Wood Family Funeral Service.

Fears of a blizzard were not unfounded, said Carlos Molina, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Hanford. He predicted unprecedented extreme conditions brought on by moderate to heavy snow, low visibility and winds more than 40 mph.

“It could get so bad that Kern County may see its first blizzard” from sunrise Friday to about the same time Saturday, Molina said.

Further north in the Central Valley, snow levels dropped Wednesday to as low as 1,000 feet, he said, while in Kern it remained between 2,000 and 3,000 feet.

While there were no reports of snow falling in Bakersfield for the first time since early 1999, Molina said residents of Lamont “actually saw a little bit of snow” at about 3 p.m. Wednesday. He noted the snow quickly melted after it hit the ground.

Earlier in the day, schools closed or were delayed in different parts of the Kern County mountains. According to the Kern County Superintendent of Schools, which reports on campus closures at https://alertline.kern.org, Tehachapi Unified School District was closed because of snow or ice on Wednesday, as was Peak to Peak Mountain Charter.

Meanwhile, two-hour delays hit Kern Valley High, the El Tejon Unified School District, the Kernville Union School District and the South Fork Union School District.

The storm also closed the Kern County Superior Court in Mojave on Wednesday, and an announcement came it will be closed again Thursday.

All day, the California Highway Patrol was on edge near Fort Tejon, monitoring conditions closely in case the Grapevine had to be closed for traffic safety reasons.

Officer D.C. Williams with CHP’s Fort Tejon office said small amounts of snow did fall Wednesday near Tejon Pass but that no closures had taken place there by late that afternoon.

“Tonight we’re going to be watching it very closely,” Williams said.

His advice for travelers between Bakersfield and the Los Angeles Basin was to monitor news reports, slow down and leave extra space between vehicles. He further suggested keeping a full tank of fuel in case of highway closure, and to bring water, snacks and blankets “in case you get stuck.”

The reason Highway 58 got hit harder than the Grapevine, Molina explained, was the west-east orientation of the storm that hit Wednesday. He predicted a reorientation that would likely bring snow onto Interstate 5 by Thursday morning, followed by more snowfall all day.

After that, the “big storm” will hit with greater moisture on Friday, he said.

The weather was milder overnight Tuesday through early Wednesday, National Weather Service forecaster Jim Bagnall said. He noted winds on the valley floor neared 40 mph and were somewhat faster in local mountain areas.