Monday night, 3.24 million individuals were under a winter storm warning or a blizzard warning, with a blizzard warning in effect for Denver. Here are the latest impacts from Winter Storm Ajax.
(FORECAST: The Latest on Winter Storm Ajax)
Arizona
The Phoenix area will wake up to freeze warnings Tuesday, as will other parts of Maricopa, Gila and Pinal counties. Meanwhile, Northern Arizona saw its first snowfall of the year throughout the day Monday into the overnight hours due to Winter Storm Ajax.In response, some area schools delayed the morning start, Fox 10 Phoenix reported. Districts, such as Flagstaff Unified, canceled Monday evening activities because of weather conditions, but planned to open as usual Tuesday.
Throughout the day Monday, icy road conditions sent cars sliding, resulting in temporary road closures across the state. Snow and ice on state roadways continued to impact traffic Monday night, causing numerous delays, the Department of Transportation reported.
California
A reported tornado on Sunday and high winds Monday knocked out power to thousands of people in the Los Angeles area. As of Monday afternoon local time, 5,700 customers were without power, down from 17,800 earlier in the day, according to the LA Department of Water and Power. Monday night, Southern California Edison had more than 5,200 additional customers out of power in parts of the city and outlying areas of Los Angeles County.Snow presented a challenge for travelers in the High Sierra on Sunday, KCRA reported. The station noted several inches of accumulation near Emigrant Gap, causing multiple motorists along I-80 to pull over and add snow chains to their vehicles. Monday evening, portions of state routes 108, 104, 4 and 89 were closed because of weather conditions in Central California, the Mono Lake community website reported.
The National Weather Service rated the tornado that swept through the town of Denair near Modesto on Sunday as an EF1. The twister toppled trees and fences, breaking windows and ripping off part of a church roof in the area.
Sabina Woodard said Sunday she took refuge with her husband, Zane, under the hospital bed in their home as furnishings, including their television set, flew about.
"What I thought was a bunch of birds was a bunch of debris" being carried by the funnel cloud heading their way, she told The Modesto Bee. "It looked like a remake of that Alfred Hitchcock movie 'The Birds.'"
According to the Los Angeles Times, 21 homes were damaged by the tornado. Trees fell on top of residences and at least one home was shifted from its foundation.
A driver was trapped inside of their vehicle after a tree crashed on top of it in South Broadway, according to Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Erik Scott. The driver was freed from the car by firefighters and taken to the hospital. Their condition has not been reported.
Colorado
Denver and parts of at least seven other Colorado counties are under blizzard warnings until 2 p.m. MST Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. What began as light snow in Denver Monday afternoon gradually turned heavier with upwards of nine inches of accumulation possible.In advance of the worst of Ajax's impacts, more than 23 Colorado school districts announced delays or closures Tuesday, 9News reported.
Snow, ice and precipitation created travel complications for the Monday evening commute that extended into the overnight hours, according to Colorado's Department of Transportation. The state DOT issued a blizzard warning for travelers along I-25, where high winds and snow accumulation are possible. Tire chains are required in parts of I-70 because of the blizzard conditions, as well. Check here for the latest road condition updates.
Monday night, 222 flights were canceled at the Denver International Airport, reports The Denver Post. Another 48 flights scheduled for Tuesday morning were also canceled and more are expected to follow. Delays are also expected.
Both locations of the Salvation Army in Denver have made preparations for more than 800 of the city's homeless to stay in their facilities during the blizzard.
Nevada
The National Weather Service announced wind advisories for parts of Nevada Monday, lasting until 10 p.m. PST.High winds in the area followed a mix of rain and snow that fell in the area over the weekend. Some areas in the mountains saw between 6 and 12 inches of snow accumulation, The Reno Gazette-Journal reported Monday. The conditions prompted local forecasters to warn of black ice during the Monday commute though no major traffic snarls were reported.
Sunday's weather caused two hikers to become temporarily lost while snowshoeing near the Mount Rose Waterfall Trail Head Sunday afternoon, Washoe County Sheriff’s spokesman Bob Harmon, told the newspaper. The hikers eventually safely returned to their vehicle.
The snowfall also prompted some area ski resorts to open early for the season, the Gazette-Journal noted, including Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, which opened Thursday.
More than 2,000 homes lost power near Carson City, Nevada, Monday, with power restored to all but 95 households Monday night, the local utility reported.
Oregon
A winter weather advisory and high wind warnings are in effect in northern Oregon until 4 a.m. Wednesday local time, according to the National Weather Service. Monday night, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) reported snow flurries and areas of ice on some state roads, but no major closures.The snow line on Mt. Hood dropped as low as 2,500 feet over the weekend, according to KGW. Some residents in even lower elevations such as Molalla and Estacada reported a light dusting Sunday morning.
Crews worked to remove snow from Highway 26 Monday with the use of plows, sanders and de-icers. The ODOT is not currently requiring chains or traction tires, but drivers are advised to be cautious of slick winter conditions.
"I pulled my first guy out of the ditch this morning on my way to work," Jim McNamee, operator of the ODOT yard at Government Camp, told KGW. "Don't go too fast - speed is your enemy."
Utah
Broad swaths of the state were under winter weather advisories Monday night, as Winter Storm Ajax swept across the region, bringing wet roads and patchy areas of snow, the Utah Department of Transportation reported. Earlier in the day Monday, multiple weather-related crashes occurred in parts of the state, including along US Highway 6 near mile marker 203, the Utah Department of Transportation said on Twitter.A reporter for KSTU in St. Gerorge Utah tweeted a photo of a snow-related crash outside Cedar City, but said the driver was unhurt.
Washington
The National Weather Service issued various flood watches, winter storm warnings and high wind watches for the northern half of Washington Monday. Dangerously high wind gusts are expected, as well as mountain snow — more than a foot is expected above 4,000 feet, as well as 6 to 10 inches at Snoqualmie Pass.More than 7,000 Puget Sound Energy customers were without power early Monday morning, reports KIRO 7. Schools in Mount Baker were closed due to the power outage and flooding in some areas.
Flood warnings were issued for the Snoqualmie River, with a Phase III flood alert that anticipated moderate and widespread flooding in Snoqualmie Valley. Some residents were forced to evacuate Monday evening, with some needing assistance from the fire department to escape rising water.
Skokomish Valley Road was closed due to flooding on the street, KIRO 7 also reports. Locals say the flooding of the Skokomish River is the highest they've ever seen. The river rose more than three feet in 24 hours, reaching major flood stage.
Skokomish valley rd. Closed for flooding. Lots of water on all of our roads-drive slow and safe
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