Intense winter storm hits Arizona, causes lack of electricity

A winter storm snarled holiday traffic in parts of northern Arizona, California and Oregon this week and has caused a town in Arizona to declare an emergency.

Tusayan, Arizona, has declared a state of emergency due to heavy snow and lack of electricity.

Tusayan is located near the Grand Canyon National Park where over a foot of snow has been measured.

A shelter has been setup in the Grand Canyon National Park to assist the more than 1,000 people who have not had heat or power since early Friday.

Roads are reported to be impassable and there are fuel shortages.

Parts of Interstate 40 and Interstate 17 were closed south of Flagstaff, Arizona, in both directions early Friday due to heavy snow in the higher elevations, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Several other roads were closed Friday morning in northern Arizona due to snow. The interstates were reopened midday Friday.

The National Weather Service noted that travel was not recommended due to the heavy and blowing snow through at least midday.

The Flagstaff area reported 8 to 12 inches of snowfall as of early Friday, with 15 inches measured at the Grand Canyon (South Rim).

In California, a portion of Interstate 5 from Grapevine to Castaic through Tejon Pass closed Thursday morning as heavy snow sweeps through the higher elevations.

Snow gates were opened on I-5 near Santa Clarita to force northbound cars back southbound and down in elevation.

Southbound lanes fully reopened Thursday afternoon. Several other major routes through Southern California are also closed.

The unusually intense winter storm downed trees, knocked out power and closed highways in parts of California Wednesday.