El Nino-driven storm brings howling winds, rain and snow to mountain areas

GORMAN, Calif. (KABC) -- Howling winds, bone chilling temperatures and fresh snow were all part of a cold storm system that hit Southern California Sunday.

The fresh powder covered cars and there may be more on the way. California Highway Patrol officers kept a close eye on the freeways as afternoon flurries caught many drivers on the Grapevine off guard.

Wicked winds, sleet and hail made for a challenging day of fun at Mt. Baldy and made for a dangerous drive on the mountain roads. A massive boulder came crashing down in the middle of a lane on one road. Crews had to clear the rocky runoff as rains brought down debris.

In the Inland Empire, Lytle Creek became a raging river and washed out the bridge to Green Mountain Ranch, forcing a wedding to be moved to another location.

In Forest Falls, the snow dropped around 4,000 feet and was expected to drop at even lower altitudes overnight. In Frazier Park, some residents headed out to see the snow, but treacherous road conditions caused one family to end up stuck.

"We had like fun (for) one hour and then we got stuck in the snow. We were stuck for like four hours," North Hollywood resident Claire Petrosyan said.

Chains were required and in the Grapevine, the strong gusts caused problems for drivers. The CHP continue to check the road conditions, if they become too icy, officers would provide escorts or shut the highway down.