California winter storms bring heavy snow; Newsom declares state of emergency in 13 counties

• California is enduring severe winter weather as unusual amounts of snowfall and strong winds across the state have damaged highways and roads and trapped some residents in their homes.
• Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday declared a state of emergency in 13 counties affected by the storms.
• The state's emergency agency and private weather forecasters in January said that damage from weeks of storms and flooding in California could surpass $1 billion.

Robert Hallmark, who says that this is the worst snowstorm of his 31 years living here, clears snow at his home as residents throughout the San Bernardino Mountains continue to be trapped in their homes by snow on March 1, 2023 in Running Springs, California.

David Mcnew | Getty Images

California is enduring more severe winter weather as storms continue to unleash unusual snowfall and strong winds across the state, damaging highways and roads and trapping some residents in their homes.

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday evening declared a state of emergency in 13 counties affected by the storms. Disaster response and relief will be provided to the counties of Amador, Kern, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Mono, Nevada, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Sierra, Sonoma and Tulare. 

The state's emergency agency and private weather forecasters in January said that damage from weeks of storms and flooding in California could surpass $1 billion.

Over the past week, mountainous regions have been inundated with a barrage of snow. In the San Bernardino Mountains, snowfall blocked roads and stranded residents in their homes as crews worked urgently to clear the roads.

Some ski resorts were forced to close due to blizzard conditions, and Yosemite National Park has shuttered indefinitely in recent days due to 15 feet of snow in some higher-elevation areas. The floor of the Yosemite Valley reached a record 40 inches of snow on Tuesday.

Snow-capped San Gabriel mountains in LA County 

A person gets a high-angle view from the Walt Disney Concert Hall as it is viewed with the snow-capped San Gabriel mountains at sunset after historic rain and snow dumped on Southern California Wednesday, March 1, 2023 in Los Angeles.

Allen J. Schaben | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images

SoCal residents dig out from snow

Norma Miro, from La Puente, shovels snow out of the driveway of the rental property she shared with her family for the last week in Wrightwood so they can move their vehicles on Wednesday, Mar. 1, 2023.

Will Lester | Getty Images

Before and after satellite images show snow covering SoCal mountains

A powerful late-February storm brought blizzard warnings, cold rains, howling winds, and rare low-elevation snow to parts of southern California more accustomed to warmth and sun.

NASA Earth Observatory

A powerful late-February storm brought blizzard warnings, cold rains, howling winds, and rare low-elevation snow to parts of southern California more accustomed to warmth and sun.

NASA Earth Observatory

Rare sight of snowy mountains beyond Hollywood sign

The Hollywood sign stands in front of snow-covered mountains after another winter storm hit Southern California on March 01, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

Mario Tama | Getty Images

Angeles Crest Highway shuts down in both directions

A CalTrans worker in blizzard condition guards Highway 2 closure due to heavy snowfall on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 in Wrightwood, CA.

Irfan Khan | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images

Some residents are still trapped in San Bernardino Mountains area

A church is shown buried under snow in the San Bernardino Mountains area where residents continue to be trapped on March 1, 2023 in Running Springs, California.

David Mcnew | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Yosemite National Park is closed indefinitely

Snow blankets Yosemite National Park in California, United States on February 23, 2023 as winter storm alerted in California.

Tayfun Coskun | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images