Southern California: Heavy rain and snow create travel mess

Record-breaking Christmas night rainfall in the Los Angeles area along with heavy overnight snowfall in the nearby mountains has turned morning drives into a travel nightmare. In the late-night and early-morning hours, major roadways like Interstate 5 over Tejon Pass was closed in both directions due to multiple stuck vehicles. The California Highway Patrol officially closed I-5 at with no estimate as to when the highway would reopen. The heavy snow in mountainous areas may exceed a foot in some locations.
Los Angeles International Airport saw 1.50 inches of rain from the storm, with more to come. At Long Beach Airport, about 20 miles away, a record-breaking 1.03 inches were recorded. The Cajon Pass, a popularly used mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains and the San Gabriel Mountains, was also impaired by heavy snow, which forced the closure of I-15.