Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Winter storm brings dangerous road conditions through at least Wednesday

Our ongoing winter storm still has another round to go. A band of heavy to moderate snow is expected to drop quite a bit more snow, but there is a lot of uncertainty about where that band will line up and for how long it will remain. So there is a range of forecasts for every point, and here we are showing a graphic that has the low end forecast for every point and another with the high end forecast for every point. For your location, you may get as little as the low end, or as much as the high end forecast.
National Weather Service Missoula
Our ongoing winter storm still has another round to go. A band of heavy to moderate snow is expected to drop quite a bit more snow, but there is a lot of uncertainty about where that band will line up and for how long it will remain. So there is a range of forecasts for every point, and here we are showing a graphic that has the low end forecast for every point and another with the high end forecast for every point. For your location, you may get as little as the low end, or as much as the high end forecast.

The effects of what’s being billed as ‘the most impactful winter storm of this season so far’ will continue to be felt through at least mid-day Wednesday.

The State Transportation Department’s interactive road condition map shows a jumble of purple lines criss-crossing Montana. Purple in this case showing almost all of the state’s major roads and highways are covered in snow and ice.

As two weather systems — one very wet, the other very cold — collided with one another Tuesday morning, some school officials were deciding what to do about classes for the day.

Some, like Victor School in the Bitterroot Valley south of Missoula, originally planned to start Tuesday’s classes on a two-hour delay. Then, the district posted on its social media that county plow trucks couldn’t keep up with the snow drifts created by the powerful winds. Erring on the side of caution, officials called a snow day.

A winter storm warning is in effect until 11 a.m. Wednesday for the Missoula and Bitterroot valleys. Several additional inches of snow are likely.

Extremely dangerous travel is likely in portions of northwest Montana, especially through the Glacier Region.

If travel is unavoidable, it’s recommended to drive with extreme caution and bring chains, booster cables, extra clothing, food and water.

Edward O’Brien first landed at Montana Public Radio three decades ago as a news intern while attending the UM School of Journalism. He covers a wide range of stories from around the state.
edward.obrien@umt.edu.  
(406) 243-4065
Become a sustaining member for as low as $5/month
Make an annual or one-time donation to support MTPR
Pay an existing pledge or update your payment information