Icy morning gives way to thaw

Flathead Valley residents woke up to slippery road conditions Thursday morning.

Law enforcement agencies and fire departments were kept busy responding to a host of slide-off accidents on ice-covered roads.

Roads were particularly treacherous in the West Valley, leading West Valley School to close Thursday.

The challenging road conditions interfered with two cases in Flathead District Court, first with a civil trial when a juror got stuck on ice-covered McMannamy Draw. 

A sheriff’s deputy was sent out to bring the juror to court. A criminal case was affected later in the morning when the defendant was late after getting stuck and having to get a ride.

A Kalispell Police Department dispatch log indicated Grandview Drive was “a sheet of ice” around 8:30 a.m., causing a bus to get stuck and a second bus to have a hard time getting around it.

A passer-by put down an ice melting agent, and a city truck later arrived that didn’t have much gravel but “will put down what he can and hope to help.”

Another vehicle was reported stuck after sliding off Glenwood Drive.

Temperatures rose later Thursday and massive melting of snow and ice began.  

The National Weather Service issued an advisory Thursday afternoon warning of water drainage issues. 

“Recent significant snowfall, coupled with rising temperatures and additional rainfall on top of melting snow, will cause water to back up and form ponds on fields, yards and roadways,” the Weather Service said.