Flathead braces for blizzard
Snow plows clear U.S. 93 in Whitefish on Sunday afternoon. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for the area for Monday with up 30 inches of snow possible. Whitefish School District canceled classes Monday in anticipation of the storm. (Matt Baldwin/Daily Inter Lake)
Blizzard conditions with near-zero visibility are expected to persist through Monday as an extreme winter storm bears down on the Flathead Valley.
Severe blowing and drifting of snow combined with 2- to 4-inches per hour snowfall rates will impact the region from Marias Pass to Kalispell, Columbia Falls, Bigfork and Whitefish, the National Weather Service cautioned Sunday afternoon. Storm snow totals approaching 30 inches is possible in the valley, with 50 to 60 inches in the mountains.
Roads will likely become impassable under this scenario as plows struggle to keep up.
“It’s going to be treacherous ... with visibility down to zero,” said Dan Zumpfe, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Missoula.
Zumpfe said people who are traveling need to understand there will be a very real potential of becoming stranded, especially on rural roads.
“If you have to travel, please reconsider,” he advised.
The Whitefish School District canceled classes for all schools Monday in anticipation of the extreme weather.
“Safe travel of our students is paramount,” said superintendent Heather Davis Schmidt in a press release issued Sunday. “We appreciate everyone understanding.”
As of press time Sunday night, Libby, Troy and Eureka schools, as well as the Flathead Valley Community College’s Libby campus, had also canceled classes on Monday. Marion and Olney-Bissell schools are also scheduled to be closed.
Flathead and Glacier high schools, Kalispell Middle School and Kalispell Elementary School were planning a two-hour late start. Updated information on school closures is available online at https://flathead.mt.gov/schools/closures.php.
Zumpfe said the weather service has been in contact with local emergency and transportation officials about the storm’s potential.
Snow loading on roofs will be a serious concern as well, with the new snow falling on top of an already impressive snowpack in the valley. Zumpfe noted that a weather observer in Bigfork reported 22 inches of snow on the ground Sunday morning. Similar measurements were reported in the north valley area as well.
Zumpfe reiterated that there hasn’t been a snowstorm with this potential to hit the region in quite some time.
“With a foot of snow two days ago and now 2 more feet — it’s just insane,” Zumpfe said. “60 inches for the peaks is just off the charts for around here.”
The Flathead Avalanche Center on Sunday rated the avalanche danger as “high” for the Whitefish Range and in the mountains of southern Glacier National Park above 6,000 feet.
“We all have powder fever but now is not the time to charge and ski or ride aggressive terrain,” avalanche expert Mark Dundas noted in Sunday’s advisory. “Most avalanche accidents occur during or immediately following a storm cycle and therefore give our snowpack a few days to adjust to the load being deposited onto it. Enjoy this storm snow on low angle terrain that is not connected to avalanche terrain.”
On Saturday, the center received reports of two snowmobilers who were partially buried in an avalanche in the Lost Johnny area of the Swan Range. No injuries were reported, according to the reports.
Ski Patrol at Whitefish Mountain Resort on Saturday reported avalanche activity from both patrol ski cuts and explosive use.
The storm is expected to subside by Tuesday, with highs climbing above freezing on Thursday and Friday. Zumpfe said there will be potential for lowland flooding during this time.
The latest weather updates and warnings can be viewed online at http://www.noaa.gov. Information on road closures can be found at http://www.mdt.mt.gov.