California gets more snow, rain before New Year’s break
Heavy snow along US 50 caused eastbound traffic to back up for miles in Pollock Pines, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021. Some motorists were able to exit their cars occasionally to stretch their legs. (AP Photo/Randall Benton)
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — More snow and rain fell on California on Wednesday, causing travel disruptions on mountain routes and raising the risk of debris flows from wildfire burn scars.
Major highways through the snow-blanketed Sierra Nevada remained open, but chain requirements were in effect in many areas.
Caltrans said snowplows were working around the clock and urged people to avoid all but essential travel in the Sierra.
Among staggering snowfall totals in the Sierra, the Northstar resort at Lake Tahoe reported 135 inches since Dec. 21.
On the scenic central coast, often-troubled Highway 1 was closed by a slide in San Luis Obispo County.
In Southern California, residents were urged to voluntarily leave three canyons in the Santa Ana Mountains in advance of the rain. The December 2020 Bond Fire burned away vegetation and this year’s rains have triggered repeated evacuations.
A flood watch was posted for much of the region from just south of Los Angeles County to San Diego and inland. Winter storm warnings were issued for many Southern California mountain ranges.
The Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park closed Wednesday due to the weather.
Forecasts called for California weather to generally dry out for the New Year’s weekend before more storminess next week.
A snowman is seen along Highway 175 on Cobb Mountain, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021, as another in a long line of rain and snow storms hammers the West Coast. (Kent Porter/The Press Democrat via AP) 
Oakley catches a snowball tossed by Riley Goff, of Kelseyville, Calif., on Cobb Mountain, in California, Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021, as another in a long line of rain and snowstorms hammers the West Coast. (Kent Porter/The Press Democrat via AP) 
legs. Jonas Pao, left, and Phela Durosinmi, of Palo Alto, Calif., had time to build a snowman on the highway median while traffic was at a standstill along eastbound US 50 in Pollock Pines, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Randall Benton) 
Rob Hager, of Redwood City, Calif., removes tire chains from his car at a roadside gas station in Camino, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021. Hager and his family spent over five hours in stopped traffic along US 50. They were headed east to the Lake Tahoe are for skiing, but gave up and returned homeward. (AP Photo/Randall Benton) 
Jasmine DeGuzman 12, left, and her sisters Rachael 12, and Camille 7 shiver in the snow as their father Raymond DeGuzman of Hayward, Calif. removes snow chains from his tires in Camino, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021. The DeGuzmans turned back short of their destination as heavy snow caused eastbound traffic along US 50 to a crawl. (AP Photo/Randall Benton)
