Major winter storm hitting the county

Major winter storm hitting the county

MOUNTAINS -- SOME SNOW.A STORM ARRIVING IN THE COUNTYEARLIER THIS AFTERNOONHAS BROUGHT SOME SLICKCONDITIONS ON THE ROADS.IN LESS THAN AN HOUR -- CLOUDYSKIES TURNED DARK AS WINDAND RAINS PUSHED IN TO WESTERNKERN COUNTY ANDBEYOND.23ABC'S TORI COOPER WAS ALONGTHE GRAPEVINE THISEVENING AND JOINS US FROMFRAIZER MOUNTAIN PARKWITH MORE FROM DRIVERS AND CHP.YES,IM HERE IN FRAIZER MOUNTAIN PARKWHERE AS YOU CAN SEE SNOW HASMADE ITS WAY HERE AND THENATIONALWEATHER SERVICE SAYS IT ISEXPECTED TO CONTINUE.

BUTDRIVERS I SPOKE TO SAY THEYWEREN'T EXPECTING THISTO HAPPEN.IT WAS THE CALM BEFORE THESTORM.CHP CAPTURING THE BEGININGSTAGES OF THE WIND ADVISORY INBUTTON WILLOW.THIS VIDEO SHOWING TUMBLE WEEDSBLOWING ACROSS THEROADWAY"I JUST HIT ONE ON THE OTHERSIDE OFTHE FREEWAY OVER THERE."BUT A CHANGE OF SCENERY QUICKLYUNFOLDING ON STOCKDALEHIGHWAY BEFORE 6PM-WIND AND RAINBRINGING SLICK CONDITIONS"50 MILE PER HOUR WINDS!!!"CHP PACING TRAFFIC AROUND 8PMOVER THE GRAPEVINE TOAVOID CRASHES OR SPIN OUTS ONTHE ROADWAY..DRIVERS TELLING 23ABC THEYWEREN'T EXPECTING AWINTER STORM-MANY MAKING THECOMMUTE DOWN SOUTH -STOPPINGAND STOCKING UP AT THE FORTTEJON OUTLETS JUST IN CASE"SNACKS AND RED BULL TO KEEP MEGOING AND A LITTLE BIT OF GASFORSURE"CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROLREMINDING DRIVERS TO PACKEXTRA WATER, GAS, FOOD,BLANKETS, PHONE CHARGERS ANDOTHER EMERGENCY ITEMS IN CASE OFROAD CLOSURES-BUT OFFICIALS PRIMARILYEMPHASIZING THE NEED TOPROCEED WITH CAUTION.."INCREASE YOUR FOLLOWINGDISTANCE,MAKE SURE YOUR WINDSHIELD WIPERSARE ON ALONG WITH YOUR LIGHTS."DRIVERS KEEPING THEIR EYESPEELED AMID THE WINTER STORM--IN HOPES THE MOUNTAIN PASSESDON'T CLOSE."I'M GOIN TO KEEP DRIVIN AND I'MJUSTGOING TO GO SLOW AND KEEP MYEYES OPEN."IN FRAZIER MOUNTAIN PARK NEARBLACK OUT CONDITIONS WITHSNOWFALL AND COLDERTEMPERATURES..CHP CAUTIONING DRIVERS ABOUTPOSSIBLE BLACK ICE ALONG THEIRCOMMUTE"ICE IS GOING TO FORM OVERBRIDGESFIRST SO BE CAREFUL ESPECIALLYWHEN CROSSING THE BRIDGE DUE TOTHEAIR FLOW UNDERNEATH THAT BRIDGE.I F YOU DO FIND YOURSELF GOINGINTO A SKID ON BLACK ICE LET OFFTHE GAS, DON'T WANT TO APPLY THEBREAKS, BUTSTEER BACK INTO THE DIRECTION OFTHE SKID UNTIL YOU REGAINCONTROL OFTHE VEHICLE."NOW AGAIN CHP SAYS IF YOU CANAVOID DRIVING TONIGHT IT IS AGOOD IDEA BUT IF NOT JUST MAKESURE YOU ARE TAKING IT SLOWOUT HERE ON THE ROADS.

CHP TELLSUS THEY ONLY PLAN ON PACINGBUT AS YOU KNOW THAT CAN CHANGEAT ANY TIME SO KEEP AN EYE ONOUR 23ABC TRAFFIC PAGE FOR THELATEST ON YOUR ROADCONDITIONS BEFORE YOU HIT THEROAD.BUT FOR NOW IN FRAZIER MOUNTAINPARK I'M TORI COOPERFOR 23ABC NEWS CONNECTING YOU.KERN COUNTY IS WAITING ON AWINTER STORM TO PUSH INTO THE