It's snowing in Los Angeles!!

The California Highway Patrol began to escort small groups of northbound vehicles on the I-5 in the late afternoon but southbound traffic lanes remained closed between Laval Road in Kern County and Parker Road in Castaic. It was not known when the state's busiest north-south link would fully reopen.

Scattered snow and rain showers were reported across Southern California today as a fast-moving winter storm was expected to bring the snow level down to as low as 1,500 feet above sea level in some locations, according to the National Weather Service.

The Santa Monica Mountains southeast of Westlake Village were also dusted with snow this afternoon.

A public works crew had just cleared the roadway when Joy Blanchard and her 16-year-old daughter, Sasha, parked their SUV along the shoulder of southbound Kanan Road near Triunfo Canyon to get a better view.

"We were coming home from Costco and as soon as we came over the ridge we saw snow on the tops of people's cars," Blanchard said.

"This, like, makes my year," said Sasha, who had seen snow only once before at Mammoth when she was 12. "I'm overjoyed and excited."

The teenager then proceeded to make snowballs and a miniature snowman with the fine white powder.

"This is big news," her mother said. "This is awesome."

jesus.sanchez@latimes.com