February 25, 2019 - 3:47 PM
HELENA, Mont. - The Latest on a winter storm in Montana (all times local):
4:45 p.m.
Snowplows are having difficulty keeping pace with the falling snow in western and central Montana, and additional schools are cancelling classes with a winter storm parked over much of the state.
Butte public schools cancelled classes Tuesday for the first time in at least 20 years. Buses are getting stuck, and Butte School District No. 1 Superintendent Judy Jonart tells The Montana Standard that the district's snowplows haven't been able to keep up.
Anaconda schools also will be closed on Tuesday, while other school districts plan to delay the start of classes.
A blizzard is causing whiteout conditions in the Bitterroot Valley Monday. Hamilton declared a snow emergency, with up to 18 inches (46 centimetres) is expected to fall there and in Anaconda.
The snow falling across most of the state is expected to diminish on Tuesday.
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10:35 a.m.
A winter storm is dumping snow across much of Montana, forcing some school closures and creating severe driving conditions.
A swath of western Montana from Missoula through the Bitterroot Valley is under a blizzard warning through Monday evening, with an inch or two (2 1/2 to 5 centimetres) of snow expected to fall each hour.
The National Weather Service has issued winter storm warnings and advisories for most of the rest of the state through Tuesday morning.
School districts in Columbia Falls, Hamilton and Corvallis closed their schools on Monday. School District 6 Superintendent Steve Bradshaw in Columbia Falls says the roads are unsafe for travel.
Montana transportation officials are reporting several accidents and harsh driving conditions along Interstate 90, particularly around Butte.
News from © The Associated Press, 2019