Travel Alert: Bring your chains if you plan mountain road trip

Wintry weather, rain and mountain snow prompted road closures and snow chain requirements in parts of Riverside County Friday.

Snow showers developed over the mountains late Thursday night and were expected to continue periodically through at least early afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.

Around 10:00 a.m. Friday, The California Highway Patrol was requesting to shut down Highway 243 on the Banning side, after several reports of cars spinning out on icy roadways. Around noon, the roadways had been reopened after snow plows and tow trucks helped clear the roadways.

On the Cal Trans website they report that chains or snow tires are required on Highway 243 between State Route 74 and Lake Fulmor, and from Mountain Center to Pinyon Pines on Highway 74.

Several other mountain roadways across Southern California have also seen several inches of snow, you can check the current road conditions by logging on the the Cal Trans Website at http://www.dot.ca.gov/