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UPDATE: Interstate 15 open in both directions in California

Posted at 7:35 AM, Dec 26, 2019
and last updated 2019-12-27 14:48:16-05

UPDATE 9:05 A.M. Interstate 15 is now fully open at Mountain Pass between Baker and Primm.

UPDATE 8:11 A.M. the Nevada Department of Transportation is reporting that the northbound lanes of Interstate 15 are open on the California side and the southbound lanes expect to be open in 20 minutes. The California Department of Transportation says they have been working to remove 3 foot of snow and ice.

UPDATE 5:45 A.M. DEC. 27: CalTrans says that Interstate 15 is now open through the Cajon Pass. However, they are advising drivers that the interstate is still icy at the top and drivers should stay off of it until the sun can burn off some of the ice.

UPDATE DEC. 27 AT 12 A.M.: After closures that lasted all night Thursday, Interstate 15 remains closed near Primm due to extreme weather. Officials say they are not sure how long the closures will last.

The closures began early Thursday and the I-15 re-opened for a short amount of time before closing again.

UPDATE DEC. 26 AT 9:30 P.M. Interstate 15 remains closed at stateline due to "extreme snow and ice conditions," according to California Department of Transportation. The agency shared some updated photographs of the area on Twitter shortly before 9:30 p.m.

UPDATE DEC. 26 AT 7:30 P.M. Interstate 15 near Primm remains closed due to weather. The last update from authorities was at 6:12 p.m. from the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada. The RTC said on Twitter:

I-15 South Remains Closed in Primm, NV (California State Line) due to Snow Storm
Major Delays, use other routes
@RTCSNV

Blue Diamond Road between Las Vegas and Pahrump, however, is open after temporarily closing on Thursday due to weather. READ MORE

RELATED: Major winter storm stalls traffic along heavily-traveled Blue Diamond Road

UPDATE DEC. 26 AT 5 P.M. Red Rock Canyon says there will be a delayed opening tomorrow morning due to snow. On Twitter, Red Rock Canyon Las Vegas said:

We’re all pretty excited about the snow, but we’ll have to wait- the Scenic Drive will have a delayed opening of at least 9am 12/27 to make sure the roads are safe for visitors
@RedRockCynLV
red rock canyon.jfif
Image Source: Red Rock Canyon Las Vegas

UPDATE DEC. 26 AT 5 P.M. Nevada Department of Transportation and Nevada Highway Patrol are warning drivers to expect delays on I-15 southbound towards California following the road closures at Primm (at the Calif. state line).

UPDATE DEC. 26 AT 4 P.M. CalTrans says is reporting that Interstate 15 is closed in both directions between Baker and Primm due to ice and accidents. Duration of closure is unknown.

The westbound lanes of State Route 164/Nipton Road are also closed. Expect a long delay or use other routes.

UPDATE DEC. 26 AT 3 P.M. All lanes are now open on Interstate 15 through the Cajon Pass in California. Drivers can expect icy conditions and delays.

UPDATE DEC. 26 AT 2:30 P.M. Route 160 between Pahrump and Nevada has reopened, but the driving conditions are still poor.

UPDATE DEC. 26 AT 1 P.M. Nevada Highway Patrol says that the southbound lanes of Interstate 15 in Primm has reopened.

Mount Charleston says that the Spring Mountains Visitor Gateway is closed for the rest of the day because of dangerous road conditions and low visibility.

UPDATE DEC. 26 AT 12:24 P.M. Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area has announced it will not be reopening the Scenic Drive today.

UPDATE DEC. 26 AT 11:50 A.M. Mount Charleston is advising potential visitors that today is NOT a good day to visit the mountain.

Nevada Highway Patrol is also saying the southbound lanes of I-15 at the state line are expected to last most of the day. California Highway Patrol is responding to numerous incidents.

UPDATE DEC. 26 AT 11:33 A.M. Route 160, which connects Las Vegas and Pahrump, is currently closed in both directions.

UPDATE DEC. 26 AT 11:18 A.M. The Scenic Drive at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area has been temporarily closed because of snow and ice.

UPDATE DEC. 26 AT 10:45 A.M. CalTrans is reporting that the southbound lanes of Interstate 15 are now open through the Cajon Pass. The northbound lanes are still closed.

13 Action News Investigative Reporter Joe Bartels is currently checking out the conditions on State Route 160, the road that connects Las Vegas and Pahrump.

The National Weather Service is advising motorists to avoid traveling today as much as possible.

UPDATE DEC. 26 AT 9:30 A.M. Nevada Highway Patrol says that Interstate 15 southbound is closed once again at Primm due to snowy conditions in California. These off-and-on closures are likely to continue until the pass can be cleared.

UPDATE DEC. 26 AT 9 A.M. The winter weather is creating quite a mess in California and the mountains surrounding the Las Vegas valley.
The nationa

UPDATE DEC. 26 AT 8:25 A.M. State Route 160 is now open, according to NDOT. However, they are telling motorists to expect delays.

Chains are currently required on several roads around the valley, including State Routes 156, 157, 158 and 160.

UPDATE DEC. 26 AT 8:13 A.M. State Route 160 is closed in both directions between Red Rock Canyon and Mountain Springs, according to Nevada Department of Transportation.

MOUNTAIN SPRINGS SALOON WEBCAM

ORIGINAL STORY
If you are traveling in Nevada and California today, it might be a bit of a tough go.

The California Department of Transportation closed Interstate 15 through Cajon Pass around 6 a.m. Thursday because of heavy snow.

Additionally, CalTrans is advising motorists that all vehicles on all mountain routes in San Bernardino and Riverside counties must have chains.

The Nevada Department of Transportation temporarily closed the southbound lanes of I-15 shortly after the announced closure of the interstate through the pass. However, the interstate has since reopened and traffic appears light at this time.

Click here for traffic cameras

The National Weather Service says motorists can also expect slick roads to the Spring Mountains today with 1 to 3 inches of snow possible between now and 10 p.m. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect until 4 a.m. Friday.

Click here for webcam at Lee Canyon.

13 Action News meteorologist Kelsey McFarland says that there is a small chance of rain in the Las Vegas valley today, with most models predicting a tenth of an inch of less.

Although there was no wind to speak of early Thursday morning, that will change throughout the day. We can expect winds between 6 and 11 mph this morning and gusts up to 20 to 25 mph in the afternoon. Today's high temperatures are expected to be in the upper 40s and lower 50s.

Temps will drop into the 30s tonight.

No rain is expected at this time for Friday and Saturday.

Click here for full forecast.