‘A historic event’: US storm triggers first blizzard warning for Los Angeles since 1989

Much of Portland, Oregon, also shut down due to icy roads and nearly a million buildings without power in Michigan

A slow-moving winter storm intensified over California on Friday, triggering the first blizzard warning in parts of the Los Angeles area since 1989 and creating the extraordinary sight of snowflakes swirling around the iconic Hollywood sign.

The National Weather Service warned of a “cold and dangerous winter storm” that would last through Saturday in California. Blizzard warnings were posted in the Sierra Nevada and southern California mountain ranges, where as much as 5ft (1.5 meters) of snow was expected.