Weather

10 Photos Show Christmas Weekend Storm's Impact Across California

Californians faced storms that spurred power outages, mudslides, highways closed, flooded roads over the holiday weekend.

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Crews work at cutting up a large tree that fell across Silverado Canyon Road in Silverado, located in eastern Orange County, after an overnight storm that brought heavy rain and wind, knocking over a utility pole as it fell.
Crews work at cutting up a large tree that fell across Silverado Canyon Road in Silverado, located in eastern Orange County, after an overnight storm that brought heavy rain and wind, knocking over a utility pole as it fell. (Mark Rightmire/The Orange County Register via AP)

CALIFORNIA — Travel in the Sierra Nevada could be difficult for several days after a major Holiday-weekend storm dumped snow and rain throughout California.

The storm caused whiteout conditions and forced authorities to close numerous highways and roads as rockslides and flooding impacted main thoroughfares.

Near Lake Tahoe, the storm caused a 20-car pileup on I-395 and a 70-mile stretch of I-80 was closed as of Monday.

Find out what's happening in Sacramentofor free with the latest updates from Patch.

State Route 18 was washed out as a result of the storms. The route is the main highway into the mountain resort communities of Lake Arrowhead, Blue Jay among others.

Meanwhile, Southern California residents saw heavy rain, flooded streets, and downed power lines as a result of the storm. People living in the state's canyon areas were issued mandatory evacuations by authorities after overnight storms brought heavy rain and mudslides.

Find out what's happening in Sacramentofor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Around half an inch of snow had accumulated on a car's hood and windshield on Sunday. Snow is blanketing parts of the Pacific Northwest because of unusually cold temperatures. (Dave Killen /The Oregonian via AP)
David Hunt, of Silverado Canyon, walks along Grundy Way at the intersection of Water Way in Silverado Canyon, Calif., located in eastern Orange County, stepping over rocks and mud that have washed down the mountain following an overnight storm that brought heavy rain to the area . (Mark Rightmire/The Orange County Register via AP)
This image from video provided by Caltrans District 3 shows a closed westbound I-80 on Sunday. The road from Colfax, Calif., to the Nevada state line was closed due to heavy snowfall. (Caltrans District 3, via AP
A man with an umbrella walks by a worker in Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area as the Los Angeles skyline in the background on Friday. Heavy overnight rains in Northern California left two people dead in a submerged car as authorities on Thursday ordered evacuations for a fire-scarred Southern California canyon area because of possible mud and debris flows. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)
An airliner takes an approach through storm clouds to Hollywood Burbank Airport, in Burbank, Calif., Saturday. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)
Snow accumulated on a vehicle on Sunday. Snow is blanketing parts of the Pacific Northwest because of unusually cold temperatures. (Dave Killen /The Oregonian via AP)
Storm clouds blanket the Los Angeles skyline seen from Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area on Friday. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)
Downtown Portland, Ore., and the Tilikum Crossing Bridge were dusted in snow Sunday. Snow is blanketing parts of the Pacific Northwest because of unusually cold temperatures. (Dave Killen /The Oregonian via AP)
Heavy storm clouds move in over the hills over the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles on Sunday. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)

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