HELENA – Summer barely left Montana before winter weather barreled in.
A foot of snow has fallen in Red Lodge and the National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for south-central Montana.
Residents in Billings, Absarokee and in the Livingston and Big Timber areas reported power outages. Beartooth Electric Cooperative manager Ron Roodell says the outages are due to snow on the power lines or trees falling on power lines. NorthWestern Energy spokeswoman Claudia Rapkoch says the heavy, wet snow has caused power outages for its customers as well and the company was working to restore service.
The winter storm warning issued Monday includes an area from Livingston east to Treasure and Big Horn counties. Travelers are warned of dangerous driving conditions.
The NWS is forecasting 3 to 6 inches of snow in the warning area, with 1 to 2 feet of snow in the Crazy Mountains. Southeastern Montana is under a winter weather advisory and could see 2 to 4 inches of snow.
A mountain near Red Lodge had recorded over 2 feet of snow by Monday morning and a National Weather Service spotter has reported 10 inches of snow at Nye.