MISSOULA – With blizzard conditions blasting across the Northern Rockies Monday afternoon, Western Montana drivers are coping with challenging road conditions, with poor visibility being the major problem.
While the amount of snow, especially in the Bitterroot, has created a lot of work for plow crews, it’s the high winds that are having the most impact.
Montana Department of Transportation was reporting snow and ice on Highway 93, with blowing and drifting snow and reduced visibility from Darby north to Lolo. The Ravalli County Sheriff’s Office is recommending only essential travel on the roads Monday night into Tuesday morning. Commuters are expected to face some major slowdowns on Highway 93 into the Bitterroot Monday evening, and there could be impacts for the morning commute as well.
More winds are creating blizzard conditions across Highway 93 north of Missoula, with blowing and drifting snow on up Evaro Hill and snow falling in the Mission Valley.
Interstate 90 west of Missoula is all snow packed and icy, with areas of blowing and drifting snow. The same conditions exist headed upriver into the Upper Clark Fork with areas of reduced visibility. There have been severe driving conditions around Warm Springs and the turnoff to Anaconda.
View from the Bearmouth camera this afternoon. Not a good day on I-90 at all. Slow down and allow extra time! #MTwx pic.twitter.com/Yr2gVoI09B
— dennisbragg (@dennisbragg) February 25, 2019
The Nevada Lake cutoff to Helmville was closed earlier this afternoon because of white out conditions.
All of the passes are being hit with winter conditions, with the passes on the Divide receiving more snow, with high winds creating blowing and drifting snow with hazardous travel conditions.
