Storm blocks highways, cuts off Yosemite Valley
5:40 p.m: About an inch and half of hail fell in Clovis near Highway 168 and Herndon Avenue about 4 p.m. today, causing slick roadways and a series of minor traffic accidents on the freeway.
4:10 p.m: Highway 41 from Highway 33 to Highway 46 closed this morning because of a mudslide, reopened this afternoon, the California Highway Patrol reported.
3:15 p.m: All roads leading into Yosemite Valley will remain closed until at least Saturday morning because of snow and icy conditions, park spokeswoman Kari Cobb said this afternoon.
1 p.m: Highway 41 from Highway 33 to Highway 46 remains closed because of a large mudslide.
The California Highway Patrol reported this morning the highway — a key connection between the Valley and the coast — would be closed until at least noon. There is no revised estimate for when the highway might open, the CHP said.
12:50 p.m.: Power poles are reported down at Road 274 and Fawn Point Lane, along Bass Lake in Madera County. The lines are crossing both lanes, the California Highway Patrol reported.
12:05 p.m.: The National Weather Service issued an avalanche warning at 11 a.m. today for Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks.
Continued strong winds and heavy snowfall have created a high avalanche danger, the weather service said. Backcountry travelers should avoid steep slopes where snow has fallen recently.
The warning, which is likely to last through the weekend, was issued at the request of the National Park Service.
12:05 p.m.: Highway 168 has been reopened, the California Highway Patrol reports.
11:12 a.m.: Highway 168 is closed from Huntington Lake Road to the Big Creek Road turnoff because of fallen tree and vehicle spinouts, the California Highway Patrol reported.
10:15 a.m.: A fallen tree has blocked Highway 180 at Highway 245, near the entrance to Kings Canyon National Park, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office reported.
9:20 a.m.: Yosemite Valley is temporarily cut off from the outside world, park officials said this morning.
All roads leading into the valley are closed because of snow, ice and fallen trees. Highways 41 and 120 into Yosemite National Park are closed because of snow and icy conditions, park spokeswoman Kari Cobb said.
Also, Highway 140, known as El Portal Road, is shut down because of fallen trees on the road. Badger Pass Road and Hetch Hetchy Road also are closed.
Park officials will assess of all roads in Yosemite throughout the day. For road information, call (209) 372-0200. Visitors planning to come into the park this weekend are urged to drive slowly and with caution. All vehicles, including four-wheel-drives, must carry chains.
Sierra Summit ski resort near Huntington Lake has reported 30 inches of new snow overnight. Ten feet has fallen in the area since Sunday.
9:20 a.m.: Several storm-related hazards have been reported in Fresno County roads this morning. Fallen trees are blocking Old Tollhouse Road near Pederson Mill Road, according to the California Highway Patrol. Crawford Avenue southeast of Reedley is flooded north of Lincoln Avenue.
7:58 a.m.: A large mudslide has forced the closure of Highway 41 from Highway 33 to Highway 46, according to Caltrans. The section will be closed until at least noon.
Highway 33 is closed from Twisselman Road to Highway 46 because of flooding and cannot be used as a detour from Highway 41. People traveling south on Highway 41 to the coast are advised to use Interstate 5 to Highway 46 and then drive west back to 41.
By Jim Guy and Eddie Jimenez / The Fresno Bee
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