Storm drenches Southern California, shuts Interstate 5
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Drenching rains fell across a swath of Southern California and snow brought traffic to a halt on a major highway early Thursday as the last in a series of December storms that walloped the state moved through.
The Grapevine section of Interstate 5 high in the mountains north of Los Angeles was shut down due to snow and ice before dawn, the California Highway Patrol said.
Mudslides, debris flows and rock fall s caused localized problems on many roads. The city of Malibu tweeted that firefighters and lifeguards brought 22 people to safety from a flooded campground near Leo Carrillo State Beach.
Northern California was finally mostly free of storm warnings but chains were required on major highways through the Sierra Nevada.
Residents in higher foothill and mountain communities were digging out, with reports of major tree and power line damage in places like Foresthill and the Nevada City area, both northeast of Sacramento.
Thousand of residents remained without power, with warnings that some could be without lights and heat for another week.
On the central coast, a stretch of Highway 1 remained closed by a weekend slide in San Luis Obispo County.
California was expected to dry out for the New Year’s weekend before more wet weather.