VIDEO: Oakland Hills hit by sudden hail storm
Oakland Hills hit by sudden hail storm
The heavy hail started falling around 7:30 a.m., surrounding Redwood Road and Skyline Boulevard in the Oakland Hills. Some East Bay roadways were coated with hail at about 9:30 a.m. and drivers said it felt like the Sierra as they described slipping and sliding in the Oakland Hills.
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VIDEO: 'Hail day' at Oakland high school prevents students, teachers from attending
'Hail day' at Oakland high school prevents students, teachers from attending
Some residents tweeted pictures of kids sledding down the street while others described the hail as "blizzard like".
Oakland Public Works crews said this is the first time they've ever been called to clear hail and drop sand. When they arrived on Redwood Road, the conditions were treacherous.
VIDEO: Hail looks like snow in East Bay
Hail looks like snow in East Bay
AC Transit buses drive this route to take students to Skyline High School. The hail on the steep hill made it impossible for them to make it.
We encountered students stuck at the Safeway at the bottom of the hill after their bus lost traction and started sliding down the hill.
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VIDEO: Hail surprises residents in Oakland
Hail surprises residents in Oakland
"It was scary at first because I didn't know if we had traction or not and we just kept sliding, but we stopped eventually," said sophomore Ian Einwiller.
Other Oakland residents said it was part scary, part fascinating, to see hail like this in the Bay Area.
PHOTOS: Hail storm turns parts of Bay Area into winter wonderland
"It was coming down hard so I had to check my car twice it was everywhere," said resident Nikysha Parker. "Hope it doesn't break my windshield, it was coming down hard."
Several accidents were reported as a result of the unusual weather. Police requested drivers slow down and use caution. They also added that residents should wait at home until the roads cleared up due to icy conditions.
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The Oakland Unified School District allowed students to arrive late because of the weather.
Monday's storm ranks 1 on the ABC7 Storm Impact Scale.
It snowed on Mount Hamilton and the Diablo Range, and a weather service spokesman said any peaks that are above 3,000 feet could see more snow on Monday.
The weather service issued an advisory for Santa Cruz County Monday morning reporting heavy showers and possible "dime sized" hail. They warned residents of lightning and said the storm might intensify.
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Bay City News contributed to this report.