Winter Storm in West Glacier Region, Montana

Roads became slick by Friday evening, February 3, in the Swan Valley and along US-2 from Columbia Falls to West Glacier. The fresh snowfall of 4 to 8 inches, combined with strong winds gusting up to 35 mph, caused blowing and drifting snow, reducing visibility along the US-2 corridor'especially east of West Glacier to Marias Pass. Wind chills dropped to the negative single digits Friday night. The surrounding mountains received 0.60 to 1.00 inches of snow water equivalent which could equate to 6 to 12 inches.

An anomalously moist Pacific system interacted with an arctic air mass that gradually moved west across the Continental Divide. The higher impact area with the combination of precipitation and cold air ended up being across northwest Montana due to icy roads. The Glacier Region experienced freezing rain, snow, low visibility and blowing and drifting snow.