Winter storm topples trees on Park homes
Trees came crashing down when an intense winter storm hammered Glacier National Park on Nov. 29 and 30, damaging homes and structures in the Park’s Headquarters District.
Numerous trees fell on about 20 structures in the housing area on the west side of the Park. Six residential homes sustained structural damage, and one Park employee family was displaced from their home.
A government vehicle was severely damaged by a tree that fell on it. No injuries were reported. The buildings are owned by the Park Service and rented out to employees.
Park crews removed many of the fallen trees by Saturday afternoon, but some were still laying on top of homes Sunday morning. Many of the trees were large, old spruce trees that toppled or broke in two. Downed trees were reported on power lines near private residences at Lake McDonald Lodge and in Apgar Village, but no significant damage to structures was reported.
Crews closed the Going-to-the-Sun Road at the foot of Lake McDonald on Saturday but reopened it to Lake McDonald Lodge by Sunday morning. Skiers traveling the Sun Road beyond the lodge will have to skirt around downed trees. The Camas Road was also plowed and reopened.
The storm started out as heavy rain on Friday but quickly transitioned to snow. Temperatures dropped from the mid-40s to below zero in a just a few hours , as an arctic front blew over the Continental Divide.
The storm knocked out power to thousands of residents from West Glacier to Columbia Falls, just as the cold weather blew in. The storm also made driving treacherous, as roads that had rain on them turned to ice.
Snow accumulation on the east side of the Park was believed to be about two feet at St. Mary and 18-20 inches at East Glacier. Blowing snow conditions were reported in the North Fork and Many Glacier areas. About 10 inches to a foot of snow on the level was reported in West Glacier.
The weather is forecasted to moderate toward more normal temperatures through the week, with highs in the 30s in valley locations.