Storm Brings Rare Snow To Santa Barbara

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SANTA BARBARA (CBSLA) – Wednesday's storm brought rare snow to the streets of Santa Barbara.

Snow in downtown Santa Barbara, Calif. March 10, 2021. (KEYT-TV)

Video from KEYT-TV showed residents playing in the slushy snow in downtown Santa Barbara, while hail also fell in some parts of the county.

Snow also covered Highway 154 in the Santa Ynez Mountains, in the San Marcos Pass area, near Santa Barbara.

The Santa Barbara County Fire Department said the snow was to blame for at least three separate accidents involving eight vehicles Wednesday. Three people were taken to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital with minor injuries.

A crash caused by snow on the 154 Freeway in Santa Barbara County. March 10, 2021. (Daniel Bertucelli/Santa Barbara County Fire Department)

The storm was expected to continue its onslaught on the region Thursday, with heavy rainfall in low-lying areas and several inches of snow to the mountains.

Recent burn areas are at risk of mudslides and debris flow.

A fire-scarred neighborhood in Silverado Canyon east of Irvine in Orange County had to be evacuated because of a mudslide Wednesday morning.