I-5 · CA / OR
I-5 over Siskiyou Pass: road conditions right now
Redding, CA to Medford, OR
Siskiyou Summit (4,310 ft) at the California–Oregon line is the highest point on I-5 and the one place on the West Coast's main interstate where chains are regularly required. Storms also close I-5 south of the summit on the grades near Mount Shasta and Dunsmuir.
Conditions at Sat, 8:39 AM PDT
Highest risk along I-5: 1 of 5 (low), departing at that time.
- No active NWS alerts on this route.
The road authority linked below has the final word on closures and chain requirements.
Clear driving for the whole 2 h 22 min.
Conditions: Cloudy, Light rain
Checkpoints along I-5
| Where | You pass | Weather | Risk | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redding, CA | Sat 9:00 AM | 49°F | low | Sources differ: NWS says Slight Chance Light Rain at 52°F |
| Central Valley (historical), CA | Sat 9:30 AM | 44°Fpavement 47°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Mount Shasta, CA | Sat 10:00 AM | 41°Fpavement 42°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Yreka, CA | Sat 10:30 AM | 39°Fpavement 38°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Ashland, OR | Sat 11:00 AM | 41°Fpavement 40°F | low | Sources differ: NWS says Mostly Cloudy at 41°F |
| Medford, OR | Sat 11:21 AM | 42°F | low | Nothing flagged |
Why this stretch is hard in winter
- Chain controls are posted on the Oregon side at Ashland and the California side at Hilt or Yreka.
- The Black Butte area near Weed gets strong crosswinds and blowing snow.
- Trucks are held in Yreka and Ashland when the summit closes; parking fills fast.
What this page checks
- Hourly forecast at every checkpoint for the time you would be there: temperature, precipitation type and rate, gusts, visibility.
- Active National Weather Service watches, warnings, and advisories on the route.
- Snow on the ground (NOAA SNODAS) and the Weather Prediction Center winter impact outlook.
- Pavement temperature and surface state from state DOT road sensors, when you are leaving within a few hours.
- Chain controls, closures, and winter road condition reports from state DOT feeds where they are published openly.
- Seasonal closures of mountain roads the router might otherwise use.
Official sources for this corridor
Questions drivers ask about I-5
- Is there an alternative to Siskiyou Pass?
- US-97 via Klamath Falls to Weed is longer and also snowy. US-101 on the coast avoids the mountains but adds most of a day. In a short storm, waiting in Ashland or Yreka is faster than any detour.
Conditions change by the hour. This page is a planning aid built on public forecasts and DOT feeds; the road authority linked above has the final word on closures and chain requirements.
Other corridors: I-80 across Wyoming · I-70 through the Colorado mountains · I-80 over Donner Pass · I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass · I-84 through the Blue Mountains · I-15 over Cajon Pass · all corridors