BILLINGS — The Wednesday morning commute in Billings is expected to be a mess, and it's likely to get worse from there, according to the National Weather Service.
The agency held a briefing Tuesday morning to highlight travel concerns amid the major storm headed to the area.
Overnight, temperatures are expected to fall, and the majority of the eight to 12 inches of snow will between 4 a.m. and 8 a.m. Wednesday, forecasters said.
Slushy roads are expected to turn icy as temperatures fall below freezing around 3 a.m. Wednesday. Billings city sanding truck and plows will be on the roads once snow accumulation reaches two inches.
In addition, eastern Montana and northern Wyoming could see blowing snow with wind speeds rising to 30 mph Wednesday afternoon.
NorthWestern Energy is warning of the potential for power outages from tree limbs snapped by the heavy snow load. The utility is adjusting staffing in anticipation of the storm and reminding customers to make sure natural gas meters and furnace and appliance vents are free from snow and ice.
Blocked vents could cause loss of heat of buildup of deadly carbon monoxide. Some vents are located on roofs. Non-electric, unvented space heaters can also be dangerous and should be used only in well-ventilated areas.
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