County crews continued to monitor slippery, snow-covered roads Sunday following the weekend’s freezing storms.
By mid-afternoon Sunday, some roads had re-opened:
- Approaching Palomar Mountain, both South Grade and East Grade roads are open to through traffic at Highway 76, the San Diego County Department of Public Works reported at 3:25 p.m.
- County officials also said Sunrise Highway from Old Highway 80 to mile marker 27 was accessible, at 2:40 p.m.
The conditions had forced officials to require chains on vehicles in areas with higher concentrations of snow, including state Routes 78 and 79. Caltrans lifted the orders as of 3:35 p.m.
Multiple vehicles had slid or became stuck Sunday on Sunrise Highway on the way to Mount Laguna, the California Highway Patrol reported.
“Traffic backed up because vehicles sliding off road,” a CHP incident log said. “Lots of vehicles stuck, even with chains, not making it up Sunrise.”
Cars were “all over the road trying to navigate around the vehicles stuck in the snow,” the CHP said.
Three vehicles were blocking the northbound lane of Sunrise Highway and a CHP officer helped them get to the shoulder to make room for fire crews.
In other snow-related developments, because of inclement weather and icy roads, schools in the Warner Unified School District will be closed on Monday, according to the San Diego County Office of Education.
Other districts will have a late start on Monday – the Julian Union Elementary School and Julian Union High School districts, Mountain Empire Unified School District and Spencer Valley School District
The cleanup continues, but another storm is following quickly, with the most intense activity, including more snow, expected late Tuesday.
– Staff and wire reports
Updated 7:55 p.m. Feb. 26, 2023