There have been dozens of crashes and slide-offs in and around Great Falls due to icy and snow-covered roads on Monday morning.
The Montana Department of Transportation reports that a semi truck is high-centered on the median along 10th Avenue South at 35th Street. MDT says the truck has a punctured fuel tank, and Great Falls Police Department and Great Falls Fire Rescue are at the scene.
The Great Falls Police Department shared the following message on Facebook: "AVOID 10TH AVE S! No joke, Lt. Black is requesting drivers use an alternate route and avoid 10th Avenue South until the streets are more clear. We have 19 traffic related reports since approximately 7am, including crashes, slide offs, stuck vehicles, and now a semi is high centered at 35th St and 10th Ave S."
Reports from people on the KRTV Facebook page:
- Julie Gemar-Stimac: "Yes, that was an ugly drive into town! Semi spun out on the Havre hill, another in the ditch at the Black Eagle turn off....very, very slick in town. Be careful people."
- Jamie Wagner: "Road to Fort Benton is very slick and covered. Some parts are almost white out conditions"
- Cindy L Allum-Atchison: "We got about a mile out of Augusta and turned around and went back home"
- Mark Weston: "Havre is poor driving conditions as well slick"
The City of Great Falls also noted that due to weather, all Boulevard leaf pick up routes are temporarily suspended.
WINTER WEATHER RESOURCES:
- STORMTracker Weather page
- Live interactive radar
- STORMTracker on Facebook
- Montana webcams
- MT Dept of Transportation Road Conditions (interactive)
- MT Dept of Transportation Road Conditions (simple)
- MT Highway Patrol incidents
A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for Cascade and Judith Basin County in anticipation of the heavy snow and difficult travel. These two counties are expected to pick up 3-5 inches of snow in the plains and 6-12 inches in the mountains. Very cold temperatures will follow the passage of this front; highs are expected to remain below freezing through Wednesday.
