Snow blankets the West, normal life affected
Emergency crews are scrambling to shuttle food and medicine to residents of California mountain communities stranded by back-to-back winter storms. In San Bernardino County east of Los Angeles, plowing is underway around the clock but authorities say it could take more than a week to reach some areas. In one mountain town, a grocery store roof collapsed on Wednesday as safety inspectors were checking on reported damage. No one was injured. The storm could bring heavy snow to the southwest and some portions of the High Plains, even as record high temperatures hit the Gulf Coast into the Ohio Valley. Rescued people included off-roaders and skiers who went into prohibited areas, he said. Meanwhile Los Angeles area residents enjoyed the rare snowfall in Oak Hills, California, near the Cajon Pass. Families who had never experienced snow could be seen throwing snowballs and rolling down a snow-covered hillside.