Icy roads blamed for dozens of crashes

Steady snowfall on Thursday spurred dozens of crashes across the Flathead Valley and caused a temporary closure of U.S. 93.

A severe road-condition warning was put into effect from Somers to Polson along the west shore of Flathead Lake from about 12:40 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Justun Juelfs, Kalispell division maintenance chief with the Montana Department of Transportation, said “a perfect storm” of steady snowfall, wet weather and heavy traffic created dangerously icy driving conditions along U.S. 93 in the West Shore area.

Juelfs said the department “very rarely” issues severe road alerts, and takes it very seriously. He cautioned commuters to drive only if absolutely necessary during severe road alerts.

Extra resources were diverted to the West Shore area and the severe road alert was lifted in about an hour.

A crash on U.S. 93 north of Lakeside at 12:14 p.m. caused traffic delays on the highway most of the afternoon.

Throughout the Flathead Valley, drivers contended with blowing and drifting snow, slush, ice and reduced visibility. A slew of slide-off crashes, fender-benders and rollovers occurred throughout the day as commuters struggled to navigate slippery and snow-covered roads.

Montana Highway Patrol reported more than 26 crashes between 5 a.m. and 2 p.m., including eight slide-offs and two crashes that caused injuries.

Juelfs cautioned drivers to slow down when approaching a crash scene and to pay attention to emergency vehicles.

“Slow down to get through as safely as possible,” Juelfs said.

Snow totals varied across the area on Thursday afternoon. Some locations in the North Valley area had picked up a dusting, while residents around Lakeside reported up to 6 inches, with about a foot reported near Kila. Kalispell generally received about 2-4 inches as of Thursday afternoon.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning until noon on Friday. Significant precipitation is expected across Northwest Montana with an additional 6 to 10 inches possible in some locations.

Snow likely will stick on paved surfaces with limited melting, the Weather Service warned.