Snowstorm highway conditions this week

[GaryA]

As Fred mentioned, the CalTrans QuickMap shows a closure in Tehachapi, but not on a state highway. I also see closures on Frazier Mountain Park Rd, Cuddy Valley Rd, Mil Potrero Hwy, and Cerro Noroeste, the roads that connect I-5 over to CA-33/CA-166. Does anyone have any ideas why these would show up on the QuickMap site?

For unincorporated areas (outside city limits) CHP does traffic enforcement in most counties so things show up in CHP logs that are not on State highways; they are the ones investigating and generating a collision report, even on a residential street.  The County Sheriff can do (and does) traffic enforcement but that's typically not one of their core roles.

I was once involved in a minor traffic accident where the city limit ran along the center of the roadway, and when the deputy sheriff showed up to take a report (this city contracted with the sheriff), they had to decide which side of the street the accident happened on -- if it was within the city limit, the SD could handle it; if in unincorporated area, they would need to refer it to the CHP.

[Max Rockatansky]

Apparently, the snow is forecasted hit Tehachapi around 8 AM tomorrow.  Looks as though it will be dry overnight.

[FredAkbar]

Apparently, the snow is forecasted hit Tehachapi around 8 AM tomorrow.  Looks as though it will be dry overnight.

Hopefully it warms up enough by the time I'm there that it turns to rain. Apple and Google give pretty different forecasts. Google says even at 11am it will be 34° and "Snow", while Apple has it hitting 37° by 9am and "Rain".

[gonealookin]

I'd probably be passing through on Thursday around 10am. The weather conditions still seem freezing-ish and potentially snowy at that time. Am I right to think it might not be an easy drive (assume we're in a sedan and don't want to have to deal with chains/snow tires)? Or do the warnings in this case apply more to higher-elevation roads (the summit on CA-58 is 3,771 ft)?

If Fred is on schedule he should be making it with no problems.  Caltrans traffic camera at the summit on SR 58 shows a dusting of snow alongside the road (I think; the lens is wet so it's not clear) and the road looks wet, but there aren't any chain controls posted.  Temperature at the Tehachapi airport is 34°F.  Mountain Pass on I-15 also has a dusting alongside the road but the road there is dry.

[gonealookin]

Interstate 80 is closed again, Colfax to the CA/NV line.

This is the reason:

2/19/26 8:30 am Update:
The atmosphere is showing off:

1-day ❄️: 25.6"
2-day ❄️: 54.9"
4-day ❄️: 92.5"

And in case you thought we were done... another 8–16" TODAY.

At this point, the snowpack is basically building an extension onto the lab.

Send snacks. Or a shovel. Or both.

This is the location of the Snow Lab, just off I-80 about a mile from Donner Summit:  https://maps.app.goo.gl/hnT4NmeXNJMQ3jM1A  The fatal avalanche was just a couple miles away, on the north side of I-80.

US 395 remains closed from Mammoth Lakes/SR 203 to June Lake/SR 158.

As to Fred's trip, I don't think snow ever affected traffic on SR 58 today.

[FredAkbar]

I'd probably be passing through on Thursday around 10am. The weather conditions still seem freezing-ish and potentially snowy at that time. Am I right to think it might not be an easy drive (assume we're in a sedan and don't want to have to deal with chains/snow tires)? Or do the warnings in this case apply more to higher-elevation roads (the summit on CA-58 is 3,771 ft)?

If Fred is on schedule he should be making it with no problems.  Caltrans traffic camera at the summit on SR 58 shows a dusting of snow alongside the road (I think; the lens is wet so it's not clear) and the road looks wet, but there aren't any chain controls posted.  Temperature at the Tehachapi airport is 34°F.  Mountain Pass on I-15 also has a dusting alongside the road but the road there is dry.

Yep, I did the drive today without issue. Passed through Tehachapi around 9:30am. There was snow on the side of the road but the active precipitation was more like freezing rain (temp was around 35).

Mountain Pass on I-15 was uneventful, roadway was dry.

The worst part turned out to be I-5 in the early morning which was moderate to heavy rain the whole time.

[gonealookin]

Some of those "CHP Incidents" make for entertaining reading.  The 4:04 pm entry on this one suggests a bigger problem than a few kids running around and playing in the snow.

[ElishaGOtis]

Some of those "CHP Incidents" make for entertaining reading.  The 4:04 pm entry on this one suggests a bigger problem than a few kids running around and playing in the snow.

3 YO GRANDSON HAS BEEN IN VEH FOR PAST 3 YEARS

Oof... sounds like they're homeless. I really hope that they found a way to at least keep the kid entertained, rather than be stuck in the car. Yes, being a pedestrian along a highway isn't exactly safe nor legal, but it's not like anyone is gonna move anytime soon... at minimum keep them out of the traveled way or clear zone...

[pderocco]

Some of those "CHP Incidents" make for entertaining reading.  The 4:04 pm entry on this one suggests a bigger problem than a few kids running around and playing in the snow.

3 YO GRANDSON HAS BEEN IN VEH FOR PAST 3 YEARS

Oof... sounds like they're homeless. I really hope that they found a way to at least keep the kid entertained, rather than be stuck in the car. Yes, being a pedestrian along a highway isn't exactly safe nor legal, but it's not like anyone is gonna move anytime soon... at minimum keep them out of the traveled way or clear zone...

At least with the pianist Novecento, the vehicle was an ocean liner.