As the National Weather Service warned about the dangers of strong winds blowing in from the west Tuesday, Jan. 7, the first snowfall of the year blew into the San Bernardino Mountains. Big Bear Lake began seeing snow around 4 a.m. Tuesday, and by 10 a.m., it had accumulated over 5 inches, according to a news release issued by Visit Big Bear. According to the weather service, meanwhile, Wrightwood and Mountain High reported 7 and 6 inches of snow, respectively. Chain conditions were in place for those looking to travel to mountain towns, and roads were open, according to the Big Bear news release. Wind gusts are expected to reach upwards of 65 mph in some areas Tuesday evening, according to the National Weather Service. Meanwhile, a red-flag warning is in place due to low humidity and high winds in the Inland Empire, according to Cal Fire, and will remain until Thursday, Jan. 9. Rain and snow have diminished in the mountains, forecasters say, and the Riverside and San Bernardino valleys can expect mostly clear skies through Thursday, with daytime highs in the mid-70s and overnight lows in mid- to high 30s.