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Snow, ice lead to multiple spinouts, pileup on northern California highway

Snow, ice lead to multiple spinouts, pileup on northern California highway

There were snowy shutdowns, spinouts and collisions on a northeastern California highway during Christmas and Christmas Eve, and part of the aftermath was captured on camera.

The California Highway Patrol shared on social media footage of vehicles stuck in traffic near Castle Peak inCalifornia's Sierra Nevada Mountainsthe night of Christmas.

"Eastbound traffic is now being held at Castle Peak due to a 10+ vehicle pileup over Donner Summit," the California Highway Patrol wrote just before 8:00 p.m. on Christmas Day. "It's going to take some time to clean up the scene."

USA TODAY has contacted the California Highway Patrol to inquire about injuries.

The summit the pileup happened over, Donner Summit, stands7,240 feet high. Before the pileup, the patrol had shared numerous updates on weather conditions.

By 8:30 p.m. on Christmas Day, the patrol began toget traffic moving againand escorted vehicles down the summit, urging drivers to slow down.

Traffic was briefly held on I-80 near Truckee, California, due to multiple spinouts.

'Dozens of stranded motorists' were out on highway on Christmas Eve

TheCalifornia Highway Patrolfirst cautioned motorists about a winter storm advisory three days before Christmas, warning them that a winter storm was on its way and would continue through Christmas and Christmas Eve.

"Heavy snow, strong winds, and periods of near-zero visibility will cause rapidly deteriorating road conditions," the patrol wrote. "We love holiday traditions, but getting stuck on I-80 shouldn't be one of them."

By Christmas Eve, the California Highway Patrol had issued another warning about "slick and icy" roads, warning drivers to "take it slow."

<p style=From a short-lived tornado warning to flooding, Southern Californians' Christmas Eve is being shaped by the weather amid an atmospheric river that officials have warned about for days.

People sit on the roof of a building while they are stranded during floods partially submerging the surrounding area in the aftermath of torrential rains, in San Bernardino County, California, U.S. December 24, 2025 in this screengrab obtained from a social media video.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> A vehicle stands across flood waters flowing on a road after torrential rains in San Bernardino County, California, U.S. December 24, 2025 in this screengrab from a handout video. Flood waters flow as houses ad trees remain partially submerged after torrential rains in San Bernardino County, California, U.S. December 24, 2025 in this screengrab from a handout video. A helicopter flies over a flooded area after evacuating people stranded on the roof of a building in the aftermath of torrential rains, in San Bernardino County, California, U.S. December 24, 2025 in this screengrab obtained from a social media video. Flood waters flow as houses remain partially submerged after torrential rains in San Bernardino County, California, U.S. December 24, 2025 in this screengrab from a handout video. People get into a helicopter after they were stranded on the roof of a building as floods partially submerged the surrounding area in the aftermath of torrential rains, in San Bernardino County, California, U.S. December 24, 2025 in this screengrab obtained from a social media video. Cars drive through a large puddle at Cortez Street in El Rio as a major storm moved across Ventura County, Calif. on Dec. 24, 2025. A tree limb was left dangling on some wires on Orange Drive and Balboa Street in El Rio as a major storm moved across Ventura County, Calif. on Dec. 24, 2025. Cars drive through a large puddle at the intersection of Cortez Street and Ventura Boulevard in El Rio as a major storm moved across Ventura County, Calif. on Dec. 24, 2025. Steve Cruz, a Camarillo city worker, moves large chunks of a fallen tree off Santa Rosa Road after a major storm moved across Ventura County, Calif. on Dec. 24, 2025. A car drives through a flooded road on La Cienega Boulevard on Dec. 24, 2025 in Los Angeles, Calif. A major winter storm rolled into California on December 23, forcing hundreds of evacuations in burn areas while threatening flooding and travel delays through Christmas for much of the state, officials said. A Heavy rain is seen from Kenneth Hahn Park blocking the view of the city skyline on Dec.24, 2025 in Los Angeles, Calif. A major winter storm rolled into California on December 23, forcing hundreds of evacuations in burn areas while threatening flooding and travel delays through Christmas for much of the state, officials said. A Workers cut and move a tree which fell at the Westfield Topanga shopping centre in the Canoga Park area of Los Angeles, Calif. on Dec. 24, 2025. Shoppers walk through a parking lot on a rainy Christmas Eve morning at the Westfield Topanga shopping centre in the Canoga Park area of Los Angeles, Calif. on Dec. 24, 2025. A man checks the damage caused by driving through a flooded road on La Cienega Boulevard on Dec. 24, 2025 in Los Angeles, Calif. A major winter storm rolled into California on December 23, forcing hundreds of evacuations in burn areas while threatening flooding and travel delays through Christmas for much of the state, officials said. A A car drives through a flooded road on La Cienega Boulevard on Dec. 24, 2025 in Los Angeles, Calif. A major winter storm rolled into California on December 23, forcing hundreds of evacuations in burn areas while threatening flooding and travel delays through Christmas for much of the state, officials said. A Cars drive through puddles as heavy rain falls due to an atmospheric river, in an intersection in the Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles, Calif. on Dec. 24, 2025. Cars drive through puddles as heavy rain falls due to an atmospheric river, in an intersection in the Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles, Calif. on Dec. 24, 2025. City workers try to remove a tree that felt on a wall next to the Hollywood Water Reserve on Dec.24, 2025 in Los Angeles, Calif. A major winter storm rolled into California on December 23, forcing hundreds of evacuations in burn areas while threatening flooding and travel delays through Christmas for much of the state, officials said. A Leticia Serafin (R) cooks tamales with her husband Paul Fonseca, center, and friend Pedro Jimenez, who holds up his phone light, ahead of the atmospheric river storm on Dec. 23, 2025 in Altadena, Calif. The couple lost their home of 25 years in the Eaton Fire and are residing in a donated travel trailer on their property as they make plans to rebuild. They make tamales every year to distribute to family and friends on Christmas Eve, and continued the tradition this year. A flood watch will be in effect for much of the region through Christmas Eve, with evacuation warnings in place for residents near recent burn areas. Meteorologists are calling for five straight days of precipitation, with the highest rainfall totals predicted for Christmas Eve, along with heavy snow in higher elevation mountain regions.

Strong atmospheric river brings floods, snow, high winds to California

From a short-lived tornado warning to flooding,Southern Californians' Christmas Eve is being shaped by the weather amid an atmospheric riverthat officials have warned about for days.People sit on the roof of a building while they are stranded during floods partially submerging the surrounding area in the aftermath of torrential rains, in San Bernardino County, California, U.S. December 24, 2025 in this screengrab obtained from a social media video.

According to the patrol, there had already been multiple spinouts by 11:15 a.m. on Christmas Eve. The patrol reminded drivers not to gamble with their lives for the sake of the holiday season.

"We want you to make it safely to your destination this Christmas,"the patrol wrote. "Because 'making memories' shouldn't include us pulling you out of a snowbank."

By the evening of Christmas Eve, footage was captured ofdozens of vehicleswaiting in traffic as snow fell on Interstate 80. Calling the conditions "extremely difficult," the patrol said tow trucks were working to reach "dozens of stranded motorists."

Throughout the holiday week,officials implemented chain controlon and off.The patrol announced early on Christmas Daythat I-80 and three state routes were on R-2 chain control.

According to California officials,R-2 chain controlmeans any vehicles traveling on the highway need chains or traction devices, except 4-wheel drives or all-wheel drives with snow tread tires on all four wheels.

"Please continue to slow it down, leave extra space between vehicles, and expect delays as we work through the remaining congestion," the patrol wrote online around 8:30 p.m. on Christmas Day. "Thank you for your patience as we help everyone get where they're going safely."

Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Snow leaves California drivers stranded on highway on Christmas Eve

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