Incoming Snowstorm to Affect Travel on Widespread Highway

National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologists warned drivers in Montana to journey with warning as an approaching snowstorm is predicted to dump as much as 3 inches of snow on the scenic Beartooth Highway.

Why It Matters

Numerous NWS workplaces throughout the U.S. have issued cold-weather-related advisories prior to now few weeks because the season begins to transition to fall. These principally embrace frost advisories and, in some instances, freeze warnings.

The Beartooth Highway is a well-liked scenic drive in Montana and Wyoming. The scenic route usually closes for the season in mid-October because of its excessive elevation, which exposes it to harmful winter climate circumstances.

What To Know

The NWS workplace in Billings, Montana, issued a winter climate advisory at 1:22 a.m. native time on Tuesday morning, warning residents of incoming snow that might have an effect on journey on the Beartooth Highway. The advisory will stay in place till midnight.

The advisory alerts individuals to the specter of “wet snow” falling on the Beartooth Highway above 10,000 toes. Meteorologists mentioned 1 to three inches of accumulating snow was anticipated.

“Travel will be impacted on the highest points of the Beartooth Highway, above Vista Point, due to snow and poor visibility,” the winter climate advisory mentioned. “Heaviest snow is expected to fall late tonight to Tuesday evening.”

Rainfall is predicted in decrease elevations.

“Precipitation forecast has trended further west over the past 24hrs. Heaviest accumulations are now expected over the western foothills,” NWS Billings mentioned in a submit on X on Tuesday morning.

As Montana experiences September snowfall, a lot of the central United States is experiencing above-average temperatures this week. In some instances, states may problem every day temperature information, together with in Missouri and Tennessee.

What People Are Saying

NWS meteorologist Logan Torgerson, who works on the Billings workplace, instructed Newsweek: “This is the first winter product we’ve issued for the Beartooth Highway this year. The middle of September isn’t unusual to get snow up there. The highway tops out at just under 11,000 feet.”

Torgerson added: “They’re not getting significant snow up there yet, so this is unlikely to cause any kind of closure.”

NWS Billings in a winter climate advisory: “Slow down and use caution while traveling.”

What Happens Next

The winter climate advisory is ready to run out by midnight Tuesday. However, comparable alerts might be issued within the coming weeks and months as climate developments cooler and extra snowstorms type. People within the impacted areas ought to monitor native climate steering and decelerate if touring by way of snowy circumstances.