Tehachapi's snow days

Living in a mountain community we often forget how isolated we can become. Due to recent storm systems, Highway 58, the main way in and out of Tehachapi, has been closed off and on since Feb. 22. Caltrans closes the highway when driving conditions become dangerous, jack knifed trucks on the icy highway are unfortunately common.

Locals were warned (or promised, depending on your point of view) that blizzard-like conditions could bring upwards of 17" of snow one morning. As luck would have it, Tehachapi was warmer than expected and we received a lot of rain instead.

When the last storm hit the Tehachapi mountains on March 1, the 58 was closed for over 24 hours due to visibility issues and black ice. Tehachapi received about a foot or more of snow – finally, our big storm had arrived. Most Tehachapi residents had a "snow day" when temperatures never got out of the twenties.

While Tehachapi didn't receive nearly as much snow as other areas – Mammoth received 26" of snow on March 1, alone – it's been several years since locals have experienced this much snow.

As of March 2, the snow is quickly melting and moderate weather seems to be in our near future. As the snow melts, life returns to normal in the small town of Tehachapi.