Thanksgiving snow blankets Palmdale, other areas of Antelope Valley

PALMDALE, Calif. (KABC) -- Heavy snow blanketed the Antelope Valley as a Thanksgiving storm hit the high desert area Thursday.

Palmdale saw more than a dusting of snow as more than three inches covered the region. Some parts of Lancaster saw upwards of 5 inches of snow.

"So we wake up, we look outside the window, and there's just snow. It's wild. It's crazy," said 16-year-old Christopher Romero.

Romero says he's never seen his Palmdale home covered in snow.

The snow was a welcome sight for him.

"It makes everything more special," he said. "It gives you the Christmas vibes like you see in the movies."

"I was surprised. I've never seen anything like this at all. It's too much," said Brandon Swan, who lives in Palmdale. "I was sliding on the freeway coming in here."

It was slow going on Highway 14, but Caltrans managed to keep it open through the storm.

"It's like a winter wonderland," said Ashish Oza. "It's a once in a lifetime experience. I don't know if I'll ever see it again. It's amazing."

Snow was a problem elsewhere in Southern California. Along the northbound 14 Freeway, heavy snow started falling around Escondido Summit. The California Highway Patrol carefully reopened the 5 Freeway through the snow-covered Grapevine after closing it for about two hours Thursday evening.