National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologists warned drivers in Montana to travel with caution as an approaching snowstorm is expected to dump up to 3 inches of snow on the scenic Beartooth Highway.
Why It Matters
Numerous NWS offices across the U.S. have issued cold-weather-related advisories in the past few weeks as the season begins to transition to fall. These mostly include frost advisories and, in some cases, freeze warnings.
The Beartooth Highway is a popular scenic drive in Montana and Wyoming. The scenic route typically closes for the season in mid-October due to its high elevation, which exposes it to dangerous winter weather conditions.
What To Know
The NWS office in Billings, Montana, issued a winter weather advisory at 1:22 a.m. local time on Tuesday morning, warning residents of incoming snow that could affect travel on the Beartooth Highway. The advisory will remain in place until midnight.
The advisory alerts people to the threat of “wet snow” falling on the Beartooth Highway above 10,000 feet. Meteorologists said 1 to 3 inches of accumulating snow was expected.
“Travel will be impacted on the highest points of the Beartooth Highway, above Vista Point, due to snow and poor visibility,” the winter weather advisory said. “Heaviest snow is expected to fall late tonight to Tuesday evening.”
Rainfall is expected in lower elevations.
“Precipitation forecast has trended further west over the past 24hrs. Heaviest accumulations are now expected over the western foothills,” NWS Billings said in a post on X on Tuesday morning.
As Montana experiences September snowfall, much of the central United States is experiencing above-average temperatures this week. In some cases, states could challenge daily temperature records, including in Missouri and Tennessee.
What People Are Saying
NWS meteorologist Logan Torgerson, who works at the Billings office, told 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 weather advisory: “Slow down and use caution while traveling.”
What Happens Next
The winter weather advisory is set to expire by midnight Tuesday. However, similar alerts could be issued in the coming weeks and months as weather trends cooler and more snowstorms form. People in the impacted areas should monitor local weather guidance and slow down if traveling through snowy conditions.