A powerful late-season winter storm blanketed the northern Rocky Mountains with up to 26 inches of snow over the weekend, snarling travel and knocking out power to thousands. Montana bore the brunt of the storm, with Glacier National Park recording the highest totals and wind gusts exceeding 65 mph creating near-zero visibility.
Interstate 90 was closed for 14 hours between Butte and Billings due to jackknifed tractor-trailers and icy conditions. Power crews restored electricity to most affected customers by Monday morning, though some remote areas may wait another day for service.
Meteorologists note that while April snowstorms are not unusual in the Rockies, the magnitude of this event ranks among the top five for the region in the past two decades.
