Rare winter freeze blankets California in ice and snow – in pictures

An unusually cold storm blew through the west coast this week, bringing dangerous conditions but also delight. Parts of the Los Angeles area were under their first blizzard warning since 1989, ice swirled around the iconic Hollywood sign, and further north, Bay Area residents saw flurries that frosted beaches and vineyards in white.

• A historic event': US storm triggers first blizzard warning for Los Angeles since 1989