Rare winter storm wreaks havoc in California, as LA remains blanketed in snow

California faced mass power outages, closure of both beaches and motorways as well as flooding as a rare winter storm swept the US state.

After days of fierce and chilly winds and frigid temperatures, more than 120,000 citizens are living without electricity in areas of Los Angeles. The central north-south motorway located on the West Coast, Interstate 5, remains closed due to heavy snow in the mountainous section, also called the Grapevine.

The winter storm, which is expected to weaken, is among the strongest which have hit the state. Trees have been toppled by relentless winds and power lines downed.

The authorities stated that all the beaches remained closed on Saturday for several hours because of lightning strikes in LA County. Reports also surfaced of flights being grounded in the region.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued the latest bulletin around 20:00 GMT on Saturday (12:00 local time) in which it issued a warning of thunderstorms and heavy rains over Southern California.

"As the front moves inland, snow will move over the Northern Intermountain Region and into Northern California on Sunday morning," stated the NWS.

Till now, no casualties or injuries have been reported due to the storm. Earlier, Los Angeles, a city which is known for its sun-kissed boulevards and palm trees, received snowfall.