California storm brings rain, snow, highway pileup

[Omaha Steve]

Last edited Mon Nov 2, 2015, 08:13 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: AP

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The first winter-like storm of the season brought rain and snow to California on Monday, triggering traffic accidents including a 20-vehicle crash in the southern San Joaquin Valley when gusts ahead of the front whipped up dust.

The big collision happened shortly after noon on southbound State Route 99 a few miles south of Bakersfield, said California Highway Patrol Scott Jobinger. Traffic backed up for three miles.

Five people with minor injuries were taken to hospitals, said Kern County Fire Department spokesman Tyler Townsend. There were no serious injuries.

The cold front from the Pacific Northwest dropped nearly an inch of rain by midday on some cities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Power outages and traffic accidents were widespread across the region.

FULL story at link.


A morning soaking brought the Guadalupe River back to life, as it flows Monday, Nov. 2, 2015, under the Interstate 280 overpass in San Jose, Calif. The first winter-like storm of the season brought rain and snow to California on Monday, triggering traffic accidents including a 20-vehicle crash in the southern San Joaquin Valley. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group via AP)

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/4d801fe4b9c84a2fafefa1a7150dd7de/california-storm-brings-rain-snow-highway-pileup

[mnhtnbb]

1. I remember driving from SoCal to the Bay area for Christmas one year in early '80's

and encountering a sudden "tule" fog. You couldn't see more than a car
length in front of you. Cars were passing me right and left--not slowing down at all. I had decided
I was going to pull over and then, bam, all of a sudden no more fog.

I imagine conditions are similar in dust storms.

[Art_from_Ark]

6. A lot of California drivers are crazy

I tried driving winding, mountainous California Highway 38 up to Big Bear Lake one time and gave up after a few miles because too many people were tailgating me and passing me on double solid yellow lines on hairpin curves, even though I was going the speed limit. They might as well have been auditioning for a Russian car crash video.

And LA drivers are some of the most aggressive I have ever encountered.

At least when I was driving the Pacific Coast Highway down to San Francisco in dense fog at night (which was really scary), there wasn't anyone behind me.

[Auggie]

2. Thunder and lightening in Napa Valley (and heavy rain)

[OnlinePoker]

3. Drivers weren't paying attention

They were likely looking up and wondering what that water like substance was that was falling from the sky.

[leftyladyfrommo]

4. An inch of rain is nothing here in KC.

That's just a normal rainfall for us. We can handle 3 or 4 pretty easily if it doesn't come down too fast.

[left on green only]

5. 1.85" Of Rain So Far Along The Southern Rim Of Yosemite

That measurement is compliments of The National Weather Service. And as near as I can tell, it is all being absorbed directly into the soil.