MAMMOTH LAKES, California — President Joe Biden has approved an emergency declaration for California due to the amount of rain and snow hitting the state all at once. The resort town of Mammoth Lakes, California, is seeing a once-in-a-decade storm due to the atmospheric river hitting the state. Locals say the last time they remember this much snow is back in the winter of 2016-2017.
“When we get this much snow, we have to shut down the town,” said Samantha Watson, a local emergency room nurse, who added how for two days this week the major road leading to Mammoth Lakes from Bishop was completely shut down due to snow and, more importantly, the risk of an avalanche. This led to the village shuddering to a halt.
CALIFORNIA TOWN WILL BE DIGGING OUT OF RECORD SNOW FOR MONTHS
“When we get these big storms, 395, which is our only big freeway, closes,” Watson said. “Trucks can’t get up here. You never realize how much you need truckers and trucks until they are not able to bring the food that you need, the diesel that we need.”
Gas stations ran out of diesel, meaning snowplows couldn’t clear roads as more snow falls. A couple of restaurants even had to close their doors as they ran out of food, and grocery store shelves were empty because supplies and food couldn’t be trucked up the mountain.
“It’s very detrimental to our community,” Watson said.
THE DANGERS AROUND THE CRAZY AMOUNTS OF RECORD SNOW IN CALIFORNIA
Due to all the snowfall, Watson, a 17-year resident, has learned to leave her door open. Otherwise, when snowplows come by, she becomes trapped inside.
“I can’t keep it closed because the snow becomes burned in from the snow plow,” she said. “At that point, we can neither get in or out of our house. I was stuck in the house for two days because of the amount of snowfall that was against this door. Physically it could not be opened.”
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A day later the snow became piled up past the front door of Watson’s house. Luckily, since she had the storm door open, she and her family could still get back in.
