Northern California storm causes freeway closures due to high winds, spinouts

SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY – A California highway that connects the Bay Area to the Central Valley closed Saturday afternoon after high winds caused a crash, while eastbound Interstate 80 in the Sierra was halted due to spinouts, officials say.

Caltrans said Interstate 580 was closed in both directions at the San Joaquin and Alameda county line after a multiple-vehicle collision involving a big rig due to high winds. The closure stretched to Interstate 5 before reopening.

This isn't the only major interstate to be shut down on Saturday. Interstate 80 and Highway 50 in the Sierra closed for a few hours Saturday morning. 

Then Saturday afternoon, around 3 p.m., Caltrans said eastbound I-80 was at a standstill at Castle Peak due to multiple spinouts of Donner Summit. That traffic was released shortly before 5 p.m. but was held again an hour later.

Traffic on Highway 50 was also being held again east of Kyburz and Echo Summit in El Dorado County due to spinouts Saturday afternoon. But westbound traffic in Meyers was released at about 5 p.m. 

All Sierra highways have chain controls and Caltrans is telling drivers to expect long delays. 

A tornado touched down in Scotts Valley, a town near Santa Cruz Saturday afternoon, flipping cars and knocking down powerlines, authorities said. 

This came after San Francisco saw its first-ever tornado warning issued by the National Weather Service. A tornado never formed but high winds caused impacts around the area.

In:
• Sierra Nevada
• Placer County
• Nevada County
• San Joaquin County
• Alameda County