A winter storm put Southern California in a deep freeze Wednesday, prompting an hourslong closures on the 5 Freeway through the Grapevine area.
Drivers were stopped on the northbound side of the freeway just before Highway 138 as of 6 a.m., video from KTLA’s Gene Kang showed as he tried to travel up the roadway.
Some drivers could be seen unsafely exiting the northbound lanes and heading back southbound to get out of the backup.
Video also showed snow beginning to fall on the roadway around 7 a.m.
As many as 3,000 vehicles may have been stuck in the backup, according to the CHP.
Escorts for the trapped vehicles did eventually take place. around 10 a.m. but the freeway would remain closed until Caltrans crews can clear the road of snow and ice, the California Highway Patrol tweeted.
The 101 Freeway was suggested as an alternate.
The CHP later tweeted that both the northbound and southbound sides of the freeway were once again open to travelers a little after noon.
The cold blast is the result of a winter storm that hit the region Tuesday.
Snow levels may drop as low as 1,500 feet later Wednesday morning, according to the National Weather Service.
Afternoon highs are expected to remain mostly in the 30s and 40s, with mountain temperatures reaching highs of only 15 to 30 degrees.
Officials are warning of dangerous wind chills and hypothermia risk from the extreme cold.
