Home » Community » Storm Watch: Late February 2023

Storm Watch: Late February 2023

MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIESThe National Weather Service Hanford Office is predicting that a series of cold storm systems will continue to bring winter weather impacts to the foothill and mountain communities across our area. These storms are expected to include blizzard like conditions in the higher elevations of Yosemite National Park and the Sierra Nevada Mountains and snow levels down to 500 foot elevation. Several feet of snow are projected in many areas. We will be monitoring and reporting on the storm systems impacts throughout.

Check below for weather alerts, road conditions including traffic collisions, closures and hazards, school closures, power outages and other emergencies as they happen.

We will continue to update this article throughout the storm – stay safe!

Related article: Winter Storms, Wind, and Low Snow Expected This Week

Please scroll down for a special message from The Madera County Sheriff’s Office.

Updates 2.26.2023

School Closures

Mariposa County

Sierra Foothill Charter  School

Tomorrow, Monday, February 27, 2023, SFCS will observe a snow day due to the significant weather conditions expected. We will reassess and let you know of any changes to Tuesday’s schedule. Stay warm and safe!

Mariposa County Unified School District

SCHOOL CANCELED 2/27/23
Good Afternoon MCUSD Staff and Families,
Tomorrow, Monday, February 27, 2023, all MCUSD school sites will observe a Snow Day.
This decision has been made as the Winter Storm Warning has been extended and the National Weather Service is predicting more snow accumulation for tonight and tomorrow, building on the significant snow fall this weekend.
Additionally we are aware of icy road conditions, tree hazards, power outages, and that many staff and students have been severely impacted by the amount of snow received throughout our county.
MCUSD will reassess conditions tomorrow at which time we will notify you of any changes will be necessary for Tuesdays schedule.
We want to thanks our state and county partners for the tremendous efforts they continue to make during these extreme winter storm conditions.
Thank you.
Madera County
This is Robert Dias, MOT Director for Bass Lake School District informing you that on Monday, February 27th, school will be canceled for OES, OCI, Wasuma, and Fresno Flats due to power outages, campus safety conditions and the predicted weather forecast. Thank you, and stay safe. (All call scheduled itself to go out at 4pm)
[CUSD] School’s cancelled for NFS and MOHS tomorrow, 2/27/23; AM Bus Rtes 1-2-3 and PM Rtes 6 for Spring Valley- Rtes 3 and 10 for Cedar & Minarets cancelled
[YUSD] All YUSD Schools will be closed tomorrow, Monday, 2/27/2023 due to complications caused by power outages, current conditions, and forecasted weather.
“Dear Mountain Home and Glacier High School Students and Families.
Due to the weather and road conditions as well as various power outages, our Oakhurst building will not be open tomorrow Monday 2/27. This means that all onsite classes are canceled as well as any meetings with Advising Teachers. Please stay tuned for ParentSquare updates later as we continue to monitor the weather forecast and road conditions.
Please remember, since our schools are independent study programs, tomorrow remains a school day for attendance purposes. Please continue to make progress through your school work and parents record attendance. This makes it so we do not have to add extra school days to our school year when we have weather closure.
Everybody stay safe and enjoy the day!”

Power Outages

Approximately 12,000 customers are being affected by power outages in our communities. Per PG&E power outage map, the affected areas should be restored between Monday 2/27/23 @ 6pm and Tuesday 2/28/23 @ 11pm

 

Madera County

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: Marina View Dr / Road 274

Loc Desc: Lat/Lon: 37.292293 -119.521181

11:41 AM THE PLOW IS UNABLE TO GET THROUGH DUE TO VEHICLES STUCK IN THE SNOW

 

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: Silver Tip Ln / Fish Camp Ln

Loc Desc: Lat/Lon: 37.479248 -119.638662

11:37 AM 1 [1] SEVERAL VEHICLES  STOPPED AND PLAYING IN THE SNOW

 

Mariposa County

If you are still without power due to the recent storms, a resource center has been established by the American Red Cross and will open at 9 AM and close at 6PM at the Mariposa Senior Center located at 5246 Spriggs Lane in Mariposa.
If you are in need of other support services, please call 209-259-1332, and a member of the Health and Human Services Agency team will assist you.

Madera County

A Red Cross Evacuation & Warming Center is open at Oakhurst Community Center (39800 Fresno Flats Rd, Oakhurst, CA 93644) for those impacted by power outages throughout Madera County. Red Cross volunteers are assisting with snacks, water, coffee, safe shelter and additional resources.
Residents are encouraged to visit for safe refuge, as well as a place to warm up and charge electronics. The center will be open until 6pm this evening.

 

Updates 2.25.2023

Madera County

Type: Traffic Hazard
Location: Robin / Crane Vly
Lat/Lon: 37.321748 -119.551423
6:37 PM 1 [1] UNKOWN DESCRIPTION VEHICLE STUCK IN ROADWAY
Type: Traffic Hazard
Location: Road 222 / Road 274
Lat/Lon: 37.339712 -119.586256
4:27 PM MULTIPLE VEHICLES STUCK IN THE ROAD
Type: Traffic Hazard
Location: Road 225 / Road 222
Lat/Lon: 37.229331 -119.509623
4:26 PM COVERING THE WHOLE ROADWAY
Type: Traffic Hazard
Location: 54000 block of Road 432
Loc Desc: PINES RESORT Lat/Lon: 37.320048 -119.556470
3:24 PM 1 [1] THEY HAVE A VEHICLE BLOCKING THE PLOW ACCESS
Type: Traffic Hazard
Location: 40500 Redbud Dr
Loc Desc: OAKHURST CHP Lat/Lon: 37.335010 -119.669394
2:41 PM INQUIRY HALF ROADWAY PLOWED CAUSING VEHICLES TO GO HEAD ON
Type: Traffic Hazard
Location: Road 225 / Rainbow Dr
Lat/Lon: 37.215868 -119.481292
Type: Traffic Hazard
Location: Road 274 / Road 331
Lat/Lon: 37.336754 -119.579867
1:39 PM  NUMEROUS VEHICLES  STUCK IN THE SNOW
Type: Traffic Hazard
Location: Road 225 / Road 222
Loc Desc: IFO NORTH FORK SUPER MARKET Lat/Lon: 37.229331 -119.509623
12:58 PM 1 [1] VEH OUT OF GAS, GAS STATION CLOSED
Type: Traffic Hazard
Location: Road 274/road 434
12:54 PM DELIVERY VEHICLE
Type: Traffic Hazard
Location: Road 274 / Road 222
Lat/Lon: 37.339712 -119.586256
12:51 PM 2 [2] 10 VEHICLES IN ROADWAY PLAYING THE SNOW
Type: Traffic Hazard
Location: 2749 Cricket Hill Rd
Lat/Lon: 37.456395 -119.791954
11:20 AM VEHICLE IS STUCK IN SNOW
type: Traffic Hazard
Location: S Oakview Dr / Big Oak Ln
Lat/Lon: 37.342722 -119.721210
10:12 AM POWER LINE DOWN ACROSS RDWY
Mariposa County
Type: Traffic Hazard
Location: Sr49 / French Camp Rd
Lat/Lon: 37.505239 -119.995501
2:10 PM  4 VEHICLES BLOCKING THE RAOD
Type: Traffic Hazard
Location: Ponderosa Way / Leichtlin Ln
Lat/Lon: 37.561972 -119.934252
Type: Traffic Hazard
Location: Sr140 / E Whitlock Rd
Loc Desc: BOTH LANES
Lat/Lon: 37.521456 -119.938953
11:42 AM 2 VEHICLES IN THE ROADWAY STUCK IN THE SNOW
Type: Traffic Hazard
Location: Bear Valley Rd / Hunters Valley Rd
Loc Desc: JWO Lat/Lon: 37.564830 -120.170298
10:13 AM STUCK IN SNOW
One-way traffic control in effect on SR-140 from Trower Rd. to Mt Bullion Cutoff due to heavy snow and multiple vehicle incidents. No ETO at this time. Travel is not advised during storm. For traffic and road closure info. use quickmap.dot.ca.gov. #CaltransHQ

 

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK

PARK CLOSURE: Yosemite National Park is now closed through Wednesday, March 1, due to severe winter conditions. Travel on all park roads is restricted to administrative traffic only. Administrative traffic should use the El Portal Road (the extension of HWY 140 into the park) to access the park.

 

MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES

Another storm system will impact Central California early next week. Winter Storm Watches are in effect for the Sierra Nevada, adjacent foothills, and Kern County mountains. Snow levels will be as low as 2,000 feet. The majority of precipitation associated with this storm system will fall Monday afternoon and Monday night.

 

MARIPOSA COUNTY

#TrafficAlert #MariposaCounty One-way traffic control in effect on SR-140 from Trower Rd. to Mt Bullion Cutoff due to heavy snow and multiple vehicle incidents. No ETO at this time. Travel is not advised during storm. For traffic and road closure info. use quickmap.dot.ca.gov. #CaltransHQ

 

Madera County

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: Road 417 / Quartz Mountain Rd

Loc Desc: Lat/Lon: 37.212213 -119.690255

8:27 AM TREE BLOCKING THE RDWY

 

MARIPOSA COUNTY

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: 4900 Sr140

Loc Desc: JWO TOWN OF MARIPOSA Lat/Lon: 37.471741 -119.968442

NO DETAILS

 

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: Sr140 / Yaqui Gulch Rd

Loc Desc: Lat/Lon: 37.480639 -120.011423

8:27 AM OUT W/CALTRANS CLEARING TREE ACROSS ENTIRE ROAD

Message from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office 

???? This storm isn’t over yet y’all- it’s the perfect weekend to cuddle up & get cozy inside ???? As a reminder, we request both residents and visitors to limit travel to ESSENTIAL only.

Road conditions have not been favorable, and will continue to be hazardous. When people drive vehicles on snow covered roads without chains or 4-wheel-drive and get stuck or crash, that creates an unnecessary strain on traffic routes, emergency responders and road crews. Stay safe, be responsible, and ride this storm out at home ????????

 

Thousands of customers are without power throughout Eastern Madera and Mariposa Counties with no end in sight. PG&E is reporting that the outages are weather related. You can check the status of your outage by entering your address at https://pgealerts.alerts.pge.com/outages/map/

 

 

 

 

 

Updates 2.24.2023

Mariposa County

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: Triangle Rd / Sr140

Loc Desc: Lat/Lon: 37.524369 -119.921180

Detail Information

8:10 PM 1  PGE ENROUTE

 

Madera County

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: Sr41 / Allen Rd

Loc Desc: NB Lat/Lon: 37.387892 -119.633631

8:22 PM 1 [1] TREE IN ROADWAY COMPLETELY BLOCKING THE ROAD

 

Power Outages Madera County

There are widespread power outages throughout the Eastern Madera County communities including Oakhurst, Ahwahnee, Nippinawasee, North Fork, Bass Lake and Coarsegold. PG&E is stating the cause is the weather and have no estimated times of restoration.

 

Madera County 

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: Sr41 / Serpa Canyon Rd

Loc Desc: JNO Lat/Lon: 37.281158 -119.668311

 

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: Sr49 / Marble Ct

Loc Desc: JSO Lat/Lon: 37.345997 -119.715529

7:39 PM RENTAL VEHICLE STUCK IN SNOW

 

Type: Trfc Collision-Unkn Inj

Location: Sr41 / Pony Express Ln

Loc Desc: NB JNO Lat/Lon: 37.264031 -119.691013 

7:40 PM 1  NOTIFIED BY PASSERBY VEH / HANGING OFF THE CLIFF

 

Type: Trfc Collision-No Inj

Location: Sr41 / Victoria Ln

Loc Desc: SR41 AT VICTORIA Lat/Lon: 37.326423 -119.660069 

Detail Information

7:40 PM 2 vehicles are involved and there is some lane blockage.

 

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: Sr49 / Thunderhead Dr

Loc Desc: Lat/Lon: 37.406168 -119.734193

7:18 PM VEHICLES ARE ABLE TO GETR AROUND

7:16 PM VEHICLE STUCK IN THE SNOW

 

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: Road 200 / Mountain Ln

Loc Desc: Lat/Lon: 37.210138 -119.559913

Detail Information

7:03 PM MULTIPLE VEHICLES STUCK IN THE SNOW

 

Power Outage North Fork Madera County

Approximately 1300 customers are without power in the North Fork area and surrounding communities. PG&E has assisted a crew and has no estimated time of restoration.

 

Madera County

Type: Trfc Collision-No Inj

Location: Sr49 / Road 601

Loc Desc: Nipinnawasee Lat/Lon: 37.403062 -119.733617 

5:06 PM 1 [2] A VEHICLE HIT A BIG RIG THAT WAS BLOCKING THE ROAD. BIG RIG IS STILL IN THE ROADWAY.

 

Type: SPINOUT

Location: Road 600 / Apache Ranch Rd

Loc Desc: 600 JSO APACHE RANCH RD Lat/Lon: 37.330590 -119.771275 

5:08 PM  APPROXIMATELY 15 VEHS STUCK IN BOTH LANES

 

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: Road 420 / Sr41

Loc Desc: 1/2 MILE JEO Lat/Lon: 37.293560 -119.648200 

4:58 PM 4-5 VEHICLES STUCK AND BLOCKING THE ROAD

 

 

Yosemite National Park

5:14 pm, 2/24/23

140 temp closed at Parkline no eta

5:13pm, 2/24/23

Wawona Rd (Hwy 41) and Big Oak Flat Rd (Hwy 120) are both closed overnight. Travel not advised on other roads.

Updates: 209/372-0200 (1, 1).

 

Madera County

Type: Trfc Collision-No Inj

Location: Sr49 / Goldside

Loc Desc: Lat/Lon: 37.344236 -119.711684

4:33 PM 2 vehicles are involved and unable to move at this time.

 

Yosemite National Park

At the time of publishing this post, The Big Oak Flat Road (the extension of HWY 120 within the park) is closed. Meanwhile, both the El Portal Road (the extension of HWY 140 within the park) and Wawona Road (the extension of HWY 41 within the park) are at R3 conditions, meaning that tire chains are required on all vehicles, no exceptions. All roads within Yosemite Valley are also at R3, and additional closures are possible. Those who must travel to and from the park today should use HWY 140; however, we strongly discourage travel due to the severe winter conditions which are forecast to continue over the weekend and into next week.

Please call our road status phoneline at 209/372-0200 (then press 1 and 1 again) for road conditions within the park. For conditions on the roads outside park boundaries, you can call Caltrans’s phone line at 1-800/427-7623 or visit roads.dot.ca.gov. Read more about tire chains here: go.nps.gov/chains

 

Power Outage Madera County 

PG&E ASSESSMENT CREW IS EN ROUTE TO THE OUTAGE.

Our preliminary determination is that your outage was caused by the weather.

Start time

February 24 | 2:43 PM PST

Estimated restoration To Be Announced

Customers affected 578

 

Power Outage Mariposa County

PG&E HAS ASSIGNED A CREW TO ASSESS THE OUTAGE.

Our preliminary determination is that your outage was caused by the weather.

Start time

February 24 | 3:20 PM PST

Estimated restoration To Be Announced

Customers affected 20

 

Madera County

Type: Defective Traffic Signals

Location: Sr41 / Sr49

Loc Desc: Lat/Lon: 37.331117 -119.655526

4:11 PM 1 [3] TRAFFIC BACKED UP. VEHICLES RUNNING THE LIGHT.

 

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: Road 222 / Pettitt Rd

Loc Desc: Lat/Lon: 37.352173 -119.602782

3:55 PM  UNK DESC OF VEHICLE

 

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: Central Camp Rd / Road 274

Loc Desc: Lat/Lon: 37.287882 -119.519592

 

Type: SPINOUT

Location: Sr41 / Road 630

Loc Desc: Lat/Lon: 37.429965 -119.639256

3:44 PM VEHICLE STUCK IN THE SNOW

 

Mariposa County

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: Sr49 / Allred Rd

Loc Desc: Lat/Lon: 37.458866 -119.916411

Detail Information

3:43 PM VEHICLES  GETTING STUCK IN SNOW NOT ABLE TO GET OUT

 

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: Triangle Rd / Sr140

Loc Desc: Lat/Lon: 37.524369 -119.921180

3:37 PM GREEN SUBARU STUCK IN SNOW BANK

 

Type: Trfc Collision-No Inj

Location: Sr49 / French Camp Rd

Loc Desc: Lat/Lon: 37.505239 -119.995501

3:30 PM A vehicle is stuck in the snow. Declined a tow truck. Paaserbys are trying to help move the vehicle.

 

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: Sr140 / Yaqui Gulch Rd

Loc Desc: EB 140 JEO YAQUI GULCH Lat/Lon: 37.480639 -120.011423

 

3:24 PM 4 Vehicles blocking both lanes.

 

Madera County

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: Road 274 / Putney Place Rd

Loc Desc: Lat/Lon: 37.247816 -119.506169

2:37 PM TREE DOWN ACROSS THE RDWY

 

Mariposa County

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: Sr140 / Williams Rd

Loc Desc: Lat/Lon: 37.496425 -119.973201

2:34 PM MULTIPLE VEHS IN RDWY DUE TO SNOW

 

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: Ashworth Rd / Old Oak Ln

Loc Desc: Lat/Lon: 37.425816 -119.904665

2:27 PM TREE DOWN BLKING ENTIRE RDWY

 

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: Sr49 / Woodland

Loc Desc: 1 MI JSO Lat/Lon: 37.445481 -119.845000

2:25 PM A Caltrans Plow is blocking the road with several vehicles stuck behind it.

 

Madera County

Type: Trfc Collision-Unkn Inj

Location: Sr41 / Victoria Ln

Loc Desc: POSS 2 MI JSO Lat/Lon: 37.326423 -119.660069

2:13 PM POSSIBLY A COUPLE OF VEHICLES

 

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: Sr41 / Jewel Vista Dr

Loc Desc: SB Lat/Lon: 37.084705 -119.757039

1:42 PM A tree is hanging down into the roadway. Requesting Caltrans with a chainsaw.

 

Mariposa County

Type: Trfc Collision-No Inj

Location: Sr140 / Sr49

Loc Desc: Lat/Lon: 37.493090 -119.972695

1:46 PM VEH INTO A DITCH

 

Type: Trfc Collision-No Inj

Location: Sr49 / French Camp Rd

Loc Desc: NB 49 AT FRENCH CAMP Lat/Lon: 37.505239 -119.995501

1:50 PM SEVERAL VEHS STUCK IN THE Snow. BOTH LANES BLOCKED.

 

Type: Mud/Dirt/Rock

Location: Sr140 / Hites Mine Rd

Loc Desc: Lat/Lon: 37.669087 -119.818235

2:51 PM VEHS ARE GOING AROUNDBLOCKING THE EB LANE

 

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: Sr49 / Worman Rd

Loc Desc: SB JSO CO LN Lat/Lon: 37.422521 -119.724980

1:23 PM  8-10 VEH STUCK INCLUDING 2 SEMI TRUCKS. REQUESTING CALTRANS FOR PLOWS

 

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: Sr140 / E Whitlock Rd

Loc Desc: EB JWO Lat/Lon: 37.521456 -119.938953

12:45 PM THERE ARE 6-7 VEHS STUCK

 

Madera County

Type: Trfc Collision-Unkn Inj

Location: Sr41 / Calvin Ln

Loc Desc: Lat/Lon: 37.287727 -119.652108

8:51 AM

 

Type: Trfc Collision-

No Inj Location: Sr41 / Serpa Canyon Rd

Loc Desc: Lat/Lon: 37.281158 -119.668311

8:45 AM a vehicle has slid off the road. A tow truck is enroute.

 

Mariposa County

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: Sr140 / Ferguson Slide Bridge

Loc Desc: JWO Lat/Lon: 37.604955 -119.966057

NO DETAILS

 

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: Sr49 / W Whitlock Rd

Loc Desc: Lat/Lon: 37.507028 -120.00316

7:27 AM Multiple vehicles are stuck in the snow. A tow truck is enroute.

 

Sierra Tel Deadwood Webcam as of 7:30am this morning.

Updates 2.23.2023

Type: Trfc Collision-No Inj

Location: Sr41 / Tenaya Lodge

Loc Desc: SR41 AT TENAYA LODGE Lat/Lon: 37.473991 -119.638465

A jeep is involved in a traffic collision causing some lane blockage. A tow truck is enroute. No injuries are being reported.

Good Afternoon MCUSD Staff and Families,

Tomorrow, Friday, February 24, 2023, all MCUSD school sites will observe an Emergency Day schedule.

This decision has been made taking into consideration the information and collaboration with our County, State, and Federal partners and in anticipation of 3-7 inches of snow tonight, with an additional 3-5 inches of snow tomorrow.

We hope you all will stay safe and warm this weekend, and we hope we will be able to welcome everyone back safely next week.

 

Type: Trfc Collision-No Inj

Location: Road 223 / Road 420

Loc Desc: ROAD 223 AT ROAD 420 Lat/Lon: 37.287946 -119.581985

A single vehicle has rolled over and a tow truck is enroute. No lane blockage is being reported. Please use caution in the area.

 

Type: Trfc Collision-No Inj

Location: Sr49 / Sr140

Loc Desc: 3 MILES JSO MARIPOSA Lat/Lon: 37.483157 -119.963799 

A vehicle has slid off the road. A tow truck is enroute.

 

Type: Trfc Collision-No Inj

Location: Sr41 / Road 630

Loc Desc: JNO Lat/Lon: 37.429965 -119.639256

Two vehicles are involved and there is some lane blockage.

 

Type: Traffic Hazard

Location: 45216 – 45291 Sr41

Loc Desc: Lat/Lon: 37.437196 -119.639214

Several vehicles are stuck in the snow. Tow trucks and CalTrans are enroute.

 

 

 

Mariposa County offices will be CLOSED today, Thursday, February 23rd, 2023.

Emergency staffing such as Public Works and Law Enforcement teams will be out in the community clearing roadways and ensuring public safety. Other staff will be working remotely to continue to support our community.

 

BADGER PASS OPERATIONAL UPDATE: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2023

Good morning Badger Pass! We will be CLOSED today (2/23) due to the Badger Pass Road closure this morning. We are getting SNOW SNOW SNOW! We will continue to keep you updated on this page as this storm rolls through. Stay safe out there!

Chain Controls

This highway information is the latest reported as of Thursday, February 23rd, 2023 at 06:48 AM.

SR 41 [IN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AREA]

CHAINS ARE REQUIRED ON ALL VEHICLES EXCEPT 4-WHEEL-DRIVE VEHICLES WITH SNOW TIRES ON ALL 4 WHEELS FROM 3 MI SOUTH OF COARSEGOLD (MADERA CO) TO 0.5 MI SOUTH OF THE YOSEMITE NAT’L PARK BOUNDARY (MARIPOSA CO)

SR 49 [IN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AREA]

CHAINS ARE REQUIRED ON ALL VEHICLES EXCEPT 4-WHEEL-DRIVE VEHICLES WITH SNOW TIRES ON ALL 4 WHEELS FROM THE MADERA/MARIPOSA CO LINE TO 5.2 MI NORTH OF THE MADERA/MARIPOSA CO LINE

SR 140 [IN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AREA]

CHAINS ARE REQUIRED ON ALL VEHICLES EXCEPT 4-WHEEL-DRIVE VEHICLES WITH SNOW TIRES ON ALL 4 WHEELS FROM NORTH JCT OF SR 49 /IN MARIPOSA/ TO MIDPINES (MARIPOSA CO)

 

 

School Closure

Mariposa County Unified School District

Good Afternoon MCUSD Families and Staff,
After continued collaboration with our County, State, and Federal partners, and out of an abundance of caution, it has been deemed necessary for the safety of our staff and students that tomorrow, Thursday, February 23, 2023 there will be no school for all MCUSD sites as they observe an emergency/snow day. MCUSD staff will reassess the conditions tomorrow at which time you will be notified regarding Friday’s schedule.

 

The National Weather Service is forecasting several major winter storms to impact Madera County throughout the week. With the ongoing snow, conditions are likely to be hazardous throughout much of the county.

The Madera County Office of Emergency Services would like to remind residents and visitors to use good judgement when traveling into and around the mountain areas. If you decide to travel, exercise extreme caution and be prepared with proper safety equipment, including snow chains. We also recommend packing plenty of food, a good deal of water, and warm clothing in your vehicle. Traveling with GPS, flashlights, and a shovel is also recommended.

The majority of the mountain area is expected to experience snowfall. Check weather and road conditions before you go. Our number one priority is the safety of the public. When people drive vehicles on snow covered roads without chains or 4-wheel-drive and get stuck or crash, that creates an unnecessary strain on traffic routes, emergency responders and road crews.

County road crews will be working to maintain access and keep roads clear, with a priority on main routes. We would like to remind the public that travelers accept personal responsibility for their safety and those of others when choosing to recreate in these conditions, and they should keep in mind that rescue is never a guarantee.–Madera County Sheriff’s Office

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