CALIFORNIA, USA — With another round of rain and snow for Northern California, all kinds of surprises can come about.
The wild weather created dangerous road conditions even the most experienced drivers can find difficult to handle. It can be especially difficult in areas scarred from wildfires.
"When you get that sudden storm system, it saturates everything, and it's a high risk of actually coming down and washing out roadways," said Dennis Keaton, spokesperson for Caltrans.
Keaton said the region's foothill and mountain communities are prone to rockslides and mudslides.
In mid-March, a sinkhole gave way while a California Highway Patrol vehicle was going over it in El Dorado County. The vehicle was left teetering over it. However, Keaton said sinkholes like that are rare, but more frequent in Southern California.
Keaton said people should also be prepared to turn around if they have to do so.
Road closures and barriers should be heeded when travelling. Around mid-March, a driver drove past a road closure along Kasson Road in Tracy, hit a puddle and hydroplaned into a ditch. The driver was ultimately left with a ticket and a tow bill.
Also, when there's too much snow, Caltrans will have controlled avalanches where they stop traffic and blast the snowpack to let it come down before a disaster strikes.
"We encourage people to stay home. We really don't want people out on the roadways when there's a big storm coming in," said Keaton.
Some other tips include calling 911 for sinkholes or landslides, staying inside your car if it's safe to do so, activating the emergency tracking system for your car and making sure your family or friends know your last location if you're on vacation.
"Worst case scenario, we'd rather you be late or to miss an appointment rather than someone get into an emergency situation," said Keaton.
Caltrans also says people should check their tire tread, battery life and make sure their car maintenance is up to date. People can also travel a route that has gas stations and inns along the way and avoid driving at night if they're tired.
WATCH ALSO:
