LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Wednesday’s stormy conditions led to road closures due to downed trees and utility lines.

The California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office and other local agencies reported throughout the day about the storm’s impacts on travel.

In addition, the powerful storm that hit the region on Wednesday led to Caltrans activating approximately 1,200 electronic highway signs statewide to display urgent safety messaging.

“Safety is always Caltrans’ priority, so as a violent storm deluges our state, today we activated our electronic message signs to advise everyone to avoid unnecessary travel during the peak of the storm,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares. “If travel cannot be postponed, we urge motorists to drive slowly, allow themselves plenty of time and be especially alert.”

In Lake County on Wednesday afternoon and Wednesday night, there were numerous reports of downed trees and lines and blocked roads.

The Lake County Public Works Department reported that Spruce Grove Road Extension near USS Liberty Lane (Quarry Road) in Hidden Valley Lake was closed due to a road slipout and Witter Springs Road near Upper Lake at the bridge, with Bachelor Valley Road to be used as a detour.

Elsewhere on Wednesday night, the CHP reported Highway 175 at Red Hills Road was closed at around 9 p.m. due to multiple downed power lines. That closure later appeared to have been cleared.

There also was a report of a large fallen tree that blocked Soda Bay Road at Crystal Drive at around 10:30 p.m.

Public Works said Bottle Rock Road was closed from Highway 175 to Sawmill Road due to downed trees and power lines. As of 11 p.m., there was no estimated time for reopening and motorists were encouraged to use an alternate route to Cobb.

Just after 4 a.m. Thursday, the Clearlake Police Department issued an advisory for a road hazard at Lakeshore Drive and Old Highway 53, asking people to avoid the area.

Elsewhere around the region, Caltran said late Wednesday that Highway 175 is fully closed at the Highway 101 junction at Hopland in Mendocino County due to flooding.

Updates on road conditions are available at https://www.facebook.com/groups/Lakecountydpw and https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.