Snow and Winds Disrupt Travel in N. California
A blustery winter storm Thursday dumped six inches of snow on Redding, closing dozens of schools, temporarily shutting down Interstate 5 and cutting power to thousands of homes and businesses in the northern part of the state.
The reduced visibility resulted in numerous fender-benders on the rain-slicked streets, but no serious injuries were reported, the Highway Patrol said.
The unusual storm, accompanied by winds of up to 50 mph, sent snow swirling into the city about 160 miles north of Sacramento. About three inches of snow fell by noon, and three more inches fell by early evening. The storm system headed down the northern Sacramento Valley.
Coastal areas also experienced high winds. A spokesman for San Francisco International Airport said incoming flights were delayed up to three hours and outbound flights had a two-hour wait amid 44-mph wind gusts.
In Marin County, a mudslide during rush hour forced the closure of the southbound lanes of U.S. 101.
High winds and snow forced the closure of Interstate 5 along a 20-mile stretch north of Redding for most of the day, but the vital north-south artery was reopened about 3 p.m.
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