SNOWSTORM PARALYZES FREEWAY, SCHOOLS SHUT DOWN IN A.V.

Byline: Greg Botonis and Karen Maeshiro Staff Writers

PALMDALE - More rain and possibly snow was forecast today for the Antelope Valley, a day after an unexpected snowfall gave thousands of youngsters a day off from school and kept many of their parents away from their jobs.

Snowfall that measured 4 inches in Palmdale and up to 2 feet in surrounding foothills shut down the Antelope Valley Freeway for the first time in nearly three years, tying up traffic from late Monday night through the Tuesday morning commute.

``It was horrible,'' said Carl Buendia, who hit snow in Acton on Monday night on his way home to Lancaster from his brother's birthday party in Los Angeles. ``You have to worry about people skidding from everywhere and there were cars and trucks stopped on both sides of the road. We were moving about 5 mph and it took like 4 1/2 hours.''

Buendia crept into Palmdale behind a Caltrans snowplow but had to get off the freeway at Palmdale Boulevard, since the northbound lanes were closed beyond. He drove the rest of the way home on surface streets.

Besides shutting down the Antelope Valley Freeway overnight from Kern County through Santa Clarita, the storm knocked down trees and power lines, flooded streets, closed schools and shut down highways from Kern County to Newhall, officials said.

The snow caught authorities by surprise.

``This is really the first time it's ever surprised us like that to where we didn't even have the snowplows out there,'' said Officer Scott Weldy of the California Highway Patrol. ``All the forecasts said rain.''

The last time the freeway closed was March 31, 1998, when up to 6 inches of snow fell between Acton and Canyon Country, closing the freeway for three hours.

The National Weather Service predicted a 30 percent chance of showers today with the snow level down to about 3,000 feet - about the level of the freeway through Acton. Thursday's skies were expected to be partly cloudy.

In Palmdale, the wet, heavy snow toppled 10 trees and snapped off 40 sizable branches, many in a 1950s subdivision off Palmdale Boulevard at 17th Street East. One tree branch smashed into a parked pickup truck.

``We had quite a few calls of roads blocked by downed trees or power lines,'' said Deputy Daryl Bonsall of the Palmdale sheriff's station. ``Most of it was cleaned up quickly.''

The rain and melting snow flooded streets and intersections.

Among the storm damage was a sheriff's patrol car on 47th Street East and a CHP car on the Antelope Valley Freeway.

A CHP officer had stopped on the side of the freeway in Lancaster to help a stranded motorist just after midnight when a vehicle skidded into the rear of the parked cruiser. No one was hurt.

Later during the storm, a deputy newly assigned to the Palmdale station was driving on 47th Street East and missed a curve because of the snow, driving off the side and down an embankment. The deputy and a civilian riding with him were taken by ambulance to Antelope Valley Hospital.

The storm also interfered with Daily News deliveries. Tuesday's editions were to be delivered today.

All Antelope Valley schools were closed Tuesday except those in the Mojave Unified School District and the Muroc Joint Unified School District.

Some teachers were late or did not make it to work, said officials at the two Kern County school districts, where there was rain and a little bit of street flooding but no snow.

At Mojave, Superintendent Larry Phelps helped out in the classroom until instructors arrived.

``A lot of teachers called in who couldn't make it,'' said Kim Bettes, a personnel technician at the Mojave district.

The snowstorm caused power outages for more than 3,000 Southern California Edison customers, scattered from Antelope Acres and Lake Hughes to Littlerock and Acton.

Edison crews worked to restore power to those areas, and additional workers were being called in to assist, said Alis Clausen, Edison spokeswoman.

``The wires get a lot of snow on them, and they build up moisture and it freezes and gets weight on them. A combination of the weight of the snow on the wires and arms will sometimes cause them to break,'' Clausen said.

Hughes-Elizabeth Lake Union School District trustee Lola Mantooth said more than 2 feet of snow fell around her home in Kings Canyon. Her power failed at 3 a.m., she said.

``We're just kind of staying under blankets,'' Mantooth said at midmorning.

In the Eastside Union School District, school was closed because of the snow and because of flooded streets and intersections where children would normally wait for school buses.

``We really had only a little (snow) in the western end of the district. Most of the district just had flooding,'' Superintendent Connie Webb said. ``I have a minilake out here at Eastside (School) and we're going to get a pump and drain the water off the playground.''

CAPTION(S):

3 photos, map

Photo:

(1 -- color) Gabby Ramirez, right, surprises grandmother Maria Ybarra with a snowball to the head Tuesday in Palmdale.

(2 -- 3 -- color) Kyle, 7, and Tyrus Tenneson, 8, slide down a snowy slope while frolicking with their father, Dave, near their home in Palmdale, above. At left, a blanket of snow covers the High Desert early Tuesday.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer

Map: Road Closures

The Antelope Valley (14) Freeway closed from Avenue D to Shadow Pines Boulevard, was reopened Tuesday morning.

Highway 138 closed from the 14 Freeway to the 5 Freeway.

The Golden State (5) Freeway closed between Lake Hughes Road and Grapevine exit.