Weather Conditions Shift From Snow To Rain As More Drivers Head Down From The Sierra
EL DORADO HILLS (CBS13) — Plenty of drivers made their way back home after a holiday weekend in the Sierra.
"Definitely a lot of people heading back down westbound from Tahoe presumably Friday, Saturday, and Sunday," Michael Collins said.
"The cold front kind of came all at once and the snow's here and the rain's gonna be here for a while too," James Fecher said.
Some drivers made their way back on either Saturday or Sunday, dealing with heavy snowfall. Drivers in El Dorado Hills told CBS13 they expect more drivers to come down on Monday due to the slightly improved weather conditions.
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"It's just not worth going up there and getting stuck. We saw a lot of people going through the chain drill and the mess," Collins said.
"I know that the rain is melting a lot of snow higher up, so it's got to be safe I would think," Darren Mayo said.
But those who made their way back on Monday down U.S. 50 were met with a completely different and obstacle. California Highway Patrol South Lake Tahoe and Caltrans said at around 1:45 p.m. this afternoon, a rockslide had occurred on U.S. 50 near Echo Summit.
Photos from the rock slide on Highway 50 completely blocking westbound lane near Echo Summit. Westbound traffic is being held in Meyers. This will take a couple hours to clear. pic.twitter.com/TJ6TKoU0nV
— Caltrans District 3 (@CaltransDist3) December 2, 2019
CalTrans alerted drivers on social media at the time that one-way traffic control and intermediate holdings between Echo Summit and Chiapas Drive.
Some drivers said there could still be hazards on the highway with the rain.
"It is really the first big storm of the year and I think people are being cautious knowing that there still a lot of oil coming up on the road," Collins said.
"One accident holds up the freeway for hours on end so anything we can do anything we can do to avoid that and help everybody else out during the holidays," Fecher said.
Driving on slick or snowy highways is never easy. That's why some aren't taking any chances with these conditions.
"I was nervous enough that I might have to go up so I make sure all my snow chains fit," Mayo said. "But there's no reason to travel in it unless you have to."