Holiday Travel Rush Begins Amid Atmospheric River Impacting Central and Southern California
VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) — In just hours, the holiday travel rush will be in full swing as an atmospheric river makes its way toward Central and Southern California. With millions expected to hit the road this Christmas week, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) is reminding drivers to take necessary safety precautions.
“Especially on the Grapevine, you know, everybody has to come through here to go up north or down south, so we’re aware that this is a very busy area. With the heavy rain, sometimes we have rivers running across our freeway, and sometimes you might not see that,” explains Officer Adriaan Garcia of the California Highway Patrol at Fort Tejon.
Inclement weather combined with heavy traffic means drivers should slow down and prepare for the unexpected. This includes being ready for road closures, crashes, and incidents like a semi-truck fire that occurred Tuesday morning, causing hours-long delays.
“So we are asking for patience,” Officer Garcia encourages all motorists.
Truck Drivers Prepare for High Winds on the Grapevine
Tulare local Michael Ballard, a seasoned semi-truck driver with experience across every U.S. state since the 1980s, is also gearing up for the high winds expected in the area. He recalls his first encounter with high winds on the Grapevine, saying, “I was scared out of my pants, it was all white knuckles.”
Ballard advises fellow truck drivers to double-check their tires and brakes before hitting the road. He also urges other motorists to be considerate of large vehicles on the highway: “Give us plenty of space, do not cut in front of us. If you have to hit your brakes, we have to hit ours, but we can’t stop quicker, especially going downhill.”
CHP Offers Safety Tips for Travelers
The CHP notes that most crashes during this time are speed-related, so the best advice is to slow down. If caught in heavy rain, it may be safer to pull over and wait for the storm to pass rather than risking dangerous driving conditions.
For the latest road information and current closures, travelers are encouraged to visit the official CHP website or relevant traffic information portals.
Travel safely and stay alert this holiday season.
https://abc30.com/post/californians-prepare-atmospheric-river-5-travel-ahead-holiday-rush/18310374/
