Californians prepare for atmospheric river and I-5 travel ahead of the holiday rush

VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) -- In conscionable hours, the vacation question unreserved volition beryllium successful afloat swing, arsenic an atmospheric stream makes its mode toward Central and Southern California.

With millions hitting the roadworthy this Christmas week the California Highway patrol reminds drivers to instrumentality information precautions.

"Especially connected the grapevine, you know, everybody has to travel done present to spell up northbound oregon down south, so, you know, we're alert that this is simply a precise engaged area. You know, with the dense rain, we bash have, sometimes we person rivers moving crossed our freeway, you know, sometimes you mightiness not spot that," explains Officer Adriaan Garcia,with the California Highway Patrol astatine Fort Tejon.

Inclement upwind and dense postulation mean radical should dilatory down and hole for the unexpected.

That includes closures, crashes and incidents similar this Tuesday greeting semi-truck fire, that caused an hours agelong delay.

"So we are asking for patience," encourages Officer Garcia.

Truck drivers are besides gearing up for the precocious winds.

Tulare local, Michael Ballard, has been driving a semi-truck since the 80s.

He has traveled crossed each state, truthful he's nary alien to unsafe conditions, but remembers the archetypal clip helium encountered precocious winds connected the Grapevine.

"I was frightened retired of my pants, it was each achromatic knuckles," recalls Michael.

He encourages truck-drivers to double-check their tires and brakes earlier hitting the road..

Michael's connection for different motorists, "Give america plentifulness of space, bash not chopped successful beforehand of us. And past thing could happen, you know, particularly if you person to deed your brakes, past we person to deed ours, but we can't halt quicker, particularly going downhill."

The CHP says astir crashes they spot are speed-related, truthful the champion happening you tin bash is dilatory down.

If you're caught successful dense rain, the CHP says it whitethorn beryllium safer to propulsion implicit and hold for the tempest to pass.

For roadworthy accusation and existent closures, sojourn here.

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