Montana Storm Continues

Snow continues to fall in the Billings area with a winter storm warning in effect through tomorrow.  As of 2 pm yesterday Billings had 8 inches of snow. Big Timber and Livingston received the worst of it with 15 to 20.  School District 2 canceled all classes today.  Other school districts closed including Lockwood, Billings Catholic schools, Pioneer, Elysian, Elder Grove, Independent, Blue Creek, Huntley, Shepherd, Livingston, Rapelje.

Residents in western Montana dug out from more than 2 feet of snow Tuesday as a winter storm pounded the southern part of the state, closing major roadways and prompting backcountry avalanche warnings.

Missoula set a new daily snowfall record with 8.6 inches (22 centimeters) on Monday, breaking a mark that had stood since 1917.

But that was overshadowed by snow totals in Bitterroot Valley, with 26 inches (66 centimeters) in Stevensville and 25 inches (64 centimeters) in Hamilton.

The snow and extreme cold shut down Ravalli County offices except for emergency and essential personnel and it threatened livestock amid calving season.

"Extreme cold is never great for young new calves," said Montana State University Ravalli County Extension Agent Patrick Mangan. "And when you layer on wind with the cold, it just makes it that much more horrible."

The area got a break from the snow on Tuesday, but more was in the forecast this week.

"What is two to four inches on top of 26? It's just insult to injury at this point," National Weather Service meteorologist Leeann Allegretto told the Missoulian.

In southwestern Montana, the storm raged on as snow mixed with 40 mph (64 kph) wind gusts to create whiteout conditions and contribute to dozens of accidents reported to the Montana Highway Patrol.

Officials shut down a 15-mile (24-kilometer) stretch of Interstate 15 near the Idaho border, along with two other major roadways that lead over mountain passes to reach Idaho.

Eastbound traffic on Interstate 90 was temporarily halted east of Reed Point Tuesday morning because of a multi-vehicle accident, and transportation officials warned of severe driving conditions along that main artery from Three Forks to Park City.

State transportation officials restricted travel on I-90 and on other ice-and-snow-covered roadways to emergency traffic only from Reed Point west to Three Forks and from Big Timber north to Judith Gap