Storms on horizon poised to cause havoc!

Weed, CA – Calm before the blizzard!

I couldn’t help but to share this photo that I took this morning in Weed, California. If you notice the truck on the left, on a normal day, you would be able to see the towering Mt. Shasta that rises over 14,000 feet on the southeast side of Weed.

When I took this photo, the wind was howling at a sustained rate of at least 40 MPH with gusts of 50 t0 60 MPH. The snow was starting to come down horizontally and it proved to be a difficult day for snow removal crews. The National Weather Service issued a severe winter warning for the area and stated that the series of storms expected to hit Northern California were expected to create a “momentous” event. Several Feet of snow are predicted for the area through Sunday morning. As of about 2 PM PST, I5 was shut down because of difficult and hazardous driving conditions. It was unknown if the freeway was later reopened.

Drivers are asked to check the California Department of Transportation website, CALTRANS, or call the road condition information line for updates on conditions along I5 and also I80 over Donner Summit. If your load doesn’t have to deliver this weekend, it might be a good idea to rent a hotel room and wait the storm out. This series of storms is expected to be one of the worst seen in several years. Also, before traveling north on I5 or east on I80, commercial drivers MUST have the maximum number of chains for their vehicle or risk being turned around and possibly be fined.

Good luck, drive slow and drive safe!