The 5 Freeway over the Grapevine was closed Monday morning due to heavy snow in the mountains of northern Los Angeles County from the second of back-to-back winter storms.
The California Highway Patrol was escorting traffic Monday morning over the Grapevine due to snow and ice, which created treacherous driving conditions. Monday evening, Caltrans said it was working around the clock to clear the 5 Freeway over Tejon Pass but the corridor remained closed in Castaic in LA County to Grapevine Road in Kern County.
It's unknown when the freeway will completely reopen.
A winter storm warning was issued for the Los Angeles County mountains
until 10 p.m. Monday. The Santa Monica Mountains were excluded from the warning.
"This system, especially the rain, is going to be wrapping up this morning," said NBC4 forecaster Belen De Leon.
Icy road conditions were blamed for a six-vehicle crash that left at least one person injured just north of San Jacinto in Riverside County. The chain collision happened about 8 a.m. on Highway 79, near Gilman Springs Road, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The vehicles collided on the northbound side of the four-lane road. A van went down a steep embankment, injuring the driver, who tumbled out of the vehicle, according to reports from the scene.
The system is the second in a series of winter storms to sock Southern California. The first arrived Friday night and continued into Saturday morning. A third storm is due to arrive later this week and bring several days of rain.
On Monday, the greatest rainfall amounts were expected across the central coast and eastern LA County. The amount of northwesterly flow will limit rainfall totals across Ventura County and western L.A. County.
In Orange County, widespread showers and thunderstorms were expected
Monday as well.
Monday's high temperatures were only expected to reach the 50s in the downtown Los Angeles area, Orange County and the coast, and will remain in the
upper 40s in the colder valley areas and the mountains.
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Gusts were expected to reach 65 mph,. The winds, low visibility and icy roads will make for dangerous driving conditions that could lead to road closures and travel delays.
Los Angeles County health officials issued a cold weather alert through Thursday for the mountains and Antelope Valley, and through Tuesday for the Santa Monica Mountains and the Santa Clarita Valley.
