Snow Slams Highway 58, Strands Hundreds

LOS ANGELES (AP/CBSLA.com) — Hundreds of drivers have been stranded on a mountain highway between Los Angeles and Bakersfield as heavy and sudden snow hit the area.

A late barrage of snow forced the shutdown of a 60-mile stretch of Highway 58 between Los Angeles and Bakersfield late Tuesday, said California Highway Patrol Officer Ed Smith.

"Travel conditions deteriorated quickly," Smith said. "The freeways just aren't safe to pass on right now."

The snow brought hundreds of vehicles to a stop and sent the patrol and road crews scrambling to the scene, where they were helping drivers to slowly exit near Tehachapi. No injuries were reported.

The highway remained closed early Wednesday and officials don't know when it will reopen.

Officials recommend drivers use Highway 223 as an alternate.

The storm from the Gulf of Alaska brought the first significant rainfall to the region in several weeks, the National Weather Service said.

(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)