Backcountry skiing safety comes into focus — why avalanches are one of the deadliest risks in the mountains, and what people think they’re prepared for versus what actually saves lives (training, terrain choices, and having the right rescue gear). 

A devastating update out of the Sierra: an avalanche near Lake Tahoe’s Castle Peak area left eight backcountry skiers dead, with one person still missing, according to authorities.  

Back at home, the latest storms bring a mess of wind and rain across Southern California — downed trees, dangerous road conditions, and the kind of weather that turns normal streets into swift-water hazards. Fullerton in particular got hammered, with multiple large trees coming down in a neighborhood.