Several major highways had to be closed due to snow and ice. Among them was Interstate 5, which connects Mexico, California, the US Northwest and Canada. More than 100,000 homes in California were without power.

There was a blizzard alert for Los Angeles on Friday, with the most difficult conditions in some parts of the hills around the city. It was the first time since 1989 that such a snowstorm alert had been issued for the US west coast metropolis. In fact, residents of Los Angeles are used to the sun and pleasant temperatures all year round.