(CNN) as Severe, multi-day winter storm After delivering heavy snow and ice to a large swath of the country this week and leaving thousands without power in the Midwest, another storm is threatening to bring rain and snow to the West Friday, prompting rare blizzard warnings in Southern California.
within it First blizzard warningThe National Weather Service in San Diego said the mountains of San Bernardino County could see 3 to 5 feet of snow by Saturday morning.
A blizzard warning was also issued for Los Angeles and Ventura counties until Saturday afternoon. Some isolated areas could get 7 to 8 feet of snow up to 5 feet.
“This storm system will be unusually cold, and the amount of snow will be very low. In fact, areas very close to the Pacific coast and in interior valleys that aren’t used to seeing snow, may see some snow accumulation.” The National Weather Service said Beginning Friday.
“Friday morning through Saturday afternoon, plan to avoid travel without shelter. The worst impacts from flooding and blizzard conditions will occur Friday afternoon through Saturday morning, and non-essential or non-urgent travel should be postponed!” The San Diego Weather Service said.
The storm has put more than 20 million people under a flood watch and more than 30 million people under a high wind warning across Southern California — nearly two months after Rounds of deadly floods. Maximum gusts could reach 75 mph in the warning areas.
The system will affect Northern California early Friday morning. As the storm slips south, up to 6 inches of snow is possible at low elevations and up to 3 feet on the region’s highest peaks before conditions begin to improve by Friday evening.
The Sierra Nevada Mountains could see up to 6 feet of snow Friday through Saturday and in Nevada, a Blizzard warning In effect Friday morning through early Saturday for northwestern Nye County.
“Heavy snow, 60 mph winds, blowing and blowing snow will cause zero visibility,” the weather service warned.
Snow has already hit Mount Santa Cruz, resident Ngugi Kihara told CNN on Friday.
“We’ve never seen so much snow here,” Kihara said. “We woke it up. It started yesterday but took a lot overnight. A lot of trees are down and all the roads around us are closed. The power is out and has been mostly out since Tuesday.”
Children enjoy the rare snowfall in Yucaipa with a view of the mountains of San Bernardino County, California.
The lower elevations of the greater Los Angeles area could see up to five inches of rain, while the mountains could see 6 inches. In the San Diego area, low elevations could get up to three inches of rain, while the mountains could get up to 7 inches.
Power outages were increasing in California early Friday, with nearly 75,000 customers in the dark, mostly in the northern region. That represented a small fraction of the more than 820,000 power outages recorded across the country as the day began. PowerOutage.us. Most of the outages — nearly 720,000 — were in Michigan, where this week’s freezing rain and snow damaged utility lines and trees.
Fierce storm spurs rescue efforts
This week’s broad, powerful storm wreaked havoc across several states in the West, northern Great Plains, Great Lakes region and New England.
Several counties in Wyoming have gone into search-and-rescue mode after several days of more than 40 inches of snow fell in southern parts of the state, stranding motorists in heavy snow, the State Highway Patrol said. Twitter.
Snow covered tree branches are seen on the ground after a freezing snow storm in Ypsilanti, Michigan on Thursday.
Minneapolis, Minnesota, saw more than 13 inches over three days this week. More than 160 vehicle crashes were reported statewide, and dozens of cars rolled off roadways Wednesday, a Minnesota State Patrol spokeswoman said. Tweets.
Minneapolis officials have declared a one-day snow emergency since Friday, and city crews are plowing and treating streets.
Snowfall reached dozens of inches in some cities since the storm began Monday evening, including 48 inches in Battle Lake, Wyoming, 32 inches in Dupuir, Montana, and 29 inches in Park City, Utah.
But snow isn’t the storm’s only culprit. Heavy ice was also dangerous.
Ann Arbor, Michigan, measured 0.65 inches, while Francesville, Wisconsin, measured 0.75 inches of snow.
In New England, ice may have caused a 15-vehicle pile-up on the Massachusetts Turnpike Thursday night, according to a tweet. Massachusetts State Police.
Officials said the chain-reaction crash involved several private vehicles and tractor-trailers. Troopers, firefighters and EMS responded to the incident and several victims had to be taken to the hospital, the tweet said.
South America has recorded the hottest temperatures
As the northern parts of the country measure snowfall and snow accumulation, the southeastern parts are experiencing high temperatures.
More than 50 daily highs were recorded in Southeast Thursday.
- St. Simons Island in Georgia recorded a high of 88 degrees, an all-time high for February.
- Tupelo, Mississippi, reached a high temperature of 87 degrees, another February record. The previous high on Wednesday was 84 degrees.
- Raleigh, North Carolina saw a high of 85 degrees, an all-time high for February. The previous record was 84 degrees in 1977.
A squalling winter storm and southern heat wave produced 100-degree temperatures temperature difference Between the Northern Rockies and Southern earlier this week.
CNN’s Jennifer Henderson contributed to this report
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