California on Friday was expected to be hit by a coast-to-coast winter storm that snarled roadways and knocked out almost 1 million homes and businesses.
The National Weather Service predicted a "cold and dangerous winter storm" through Saturday, per AP News.
Weather forecasters predicted 5 feet (1.5 meters) of snow in the mountains around Los Angeles, which may cause whiteouts and avalanches.
An unusual snowstorm hit the mountains of Southern California, prompting the weather service to issue a warning and advise vehicles to stay off the highways.
The National Weather Service has forecasted that the Plains states and northern areas would continue to have difficulties from ice, snow, and freezing rain throughout the weekend.
Roads Closed, Several Cars Trapped in Heavy Snow
UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain predicted that snow levels in Southern California will be greater than in the Bay Area, per The New York Times.
Northern California's Santa Cruz Mountains, which were drenched in January, received a dusting of snow on Wednesday.
Snow might turn into a sight to see for the majority of the state's people in areas that seldom see even a dusting of the white stuff. It won't snow in California's downtowns, according to Swain.
Northern California's coast was already covered with snow on Thursday morning.
Heavy snow covered Portland roadways on Wednesday afternoon and evening as the winter storm spun close off Oregon's coast. Several cars were trapped due to the winter storm, AccuWeather reported.
Friday morning's snowstorm closed several key passes. Both Tejon Pass in the south and the more mountainous sections of Interstate 5 in the north were blocked. I-80 across Donner Pass, California, was also blocked.
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