Atmospheric river leaves mountain communities covered in fresh snow

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Snow covered the Shaver Lake area on Thursday afternoon.

People were seen out by the water enjoying the fresh powder, including Maria Orosco and her family.

"It's very exciting, so we're here trying to enjoy the snow before it's over with," said Orosco.

It was also a sight to see for friends Hannah Prater and Sharon Winn, who decided to take a spontaneous trip up the mountain.

"It's nice to just travel up maybe like an hour to get to see some snowfall. It's a good Valley thing that we have in our backyard," said Hannah Prater, a Fresno resident.

Winn says she's used to driving in snowy conditions and believes it's important for drivers to be prepared for the unpredictable weather.

"If you're gonna come up and it's snowing at all, you should just have chains in your car. Even if you have an all-terrain vehicle because the roads can just get so slick, and I've seen so many accidents," said Sharon Winn from Fresno.

It's a sentiment echoed by Caltrans.

Plow Trucks were seen clearing the snow off roadways.

Before heading up the mountain, officials suggest making sure your car is ready for the trip.

"You want to make sure your tires are in good working condition. You want to make sure your gas tank is full in the event that you do happen to have to be stopped for a longer period of time. Make sure your windshield wipers are also in good working condition," said Alex Aquilera with Caltrans.

Aguilera wants to remind drivers to follow the rules of the road, specifically in active weather.

Higher up the mountain, China Peak Resort looks like a winter wonderland.

A video sent to Action News from China Peak President Tim Cohee shows the resort is covered in snow.

Cohee says the snowstorms will keep the resort open through mid-April.

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