Officials prepare for winter storm, snow expected at low elevations in Central California

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Rain, wind, and snowfall are expected crossed the San Joaquin Valley this weekend, causing concerns for our roadways.

Caltrans says implicit the past mates of weeks, their attraction crews person been retired preparing for the storm.

"They've had to beryllium connected 24-hour tempest patrol, making definite that the drains are wide of immoderate leaves oregon debris, making definite that the culverts are cleaned out, making definite that our snowfall plows are successful bully moving condition. So erstwhile that tempest does travel down, and if it does bring tons of snowfall similar it did past year, our snowfall plows are acceptable to wide the roads," said Alex Aguilera, nationalist accusation serviceman for Caltrans District 6.

During past year's wintertime tempest season, increasing piles of snowfall forced the closure of Highway 168.

Alex Aguilera with Caltrans says it's champion to hole present for imaginable unforeseen circumstances.

"Whenever we bash person these upwind conditions, we privation to marque definite that we'd person a spell container ready, packed with water, archetypal assistance and supplies, successful the lawsuit that the roadworthy does person to adjacent down and you are delayed," said Aguilera.

Both Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol accidental earlier you deed the road, you besides privation to cheque the information of your conveyance and marque definite your windshield wipers and tires are moving properly.

"So erstwhile you bash caput up to the mountains oregon higher elevations, beryllium prepared. Have those chains, marque definite those chains bash acceptable your conveyance and marque definite you practice," said Officer Greg Rodriguez with the California Highway Patrol.

As the snowfall starts to fall, CHP says concatenation power whitethorn beryllium required, truthful it's champion to person them now. Officer Rodriguez besides added to enactment location if you can.

"If you don't person to travel, don't question oregon springiness yourself definitely. Give yourself a small other time," said Rodriguez.

With snowfall expected astatine 2,500 feet, it's invited quality for those who are acceptable to deed the slopes astatine the China Peak Ski Resort.

"At this point, it's been a pugnacious start, different than snowmaking. So we'll instrumentality it, it'll beryllium great, and of course, the lining up, truthful it's gonna beryllium precise acold each week. And snowmaking is, you know, it's gonna beryllium great, too. So operation of the two, we should beryllium opening a batch much soon," said Tim Cohee with the China Peak Ski Resort.

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