Big Bear Valley, CA — Today being April 21st, we are into our second month of spring and yet the winter weather continues in the Big Bear Valley. Overnight snow totals are at least an inch (and counting!) bringing our seasonal snow totals to, now, officially over 10 feet since our first snowstorm on Friday the 13th of November.
The snow has prompted chain requirements on most roads, which includes an R2 chain restriction on Highway 18, from the Big Bear Dam to Green Valley Road (below Snow Valley), as well as an R2 requirement for the North Shore portion of Highway 38 and roads on the south shore, from Greenway Drive in Big Bear City west along Big Bear Boulevard to the dam and including Little Arctic Circle; R2 chain controls have also been added [as of the 8am hour] for Highway 18 the back way to the desert communities. R2 means that you must have chains on the drive wheels of your vehicle, unless in a four-wheel drive with snow tires on all four-wheels and carrying chains. At present [as of 9am], there are no chain requirements on Highway 38, other than the North Shore portion through Fawnskin. For updated road information, visit the KBHR Big Bear Road Conditions page.
We can expect more of this winter weather today, as the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory, which applies to San Bernardino mountain communities above the 4000’ elevation level. This Winter Weather Advisory extends through Thursday until noon, and is indicative of snowfall, winds and poor visibility. Yesterday’s Wind Advisory, meaning we can expect winds up to 35 miles per hour, also continues through this evening. For updated weather information for the Big Bear Valley, stay tuned for KBHR’s hourly weather forecast at quarter past the hour; you can listen to 93.3 FM streaming live, using the KBHR Live Radio tab at the top right of our website’s home page.
