Alpine sections of Sun Road closed

Glacier National Park reports that the Going-to-the-Sun Road is temporarily closed from Big Bend on the west side to Jackson Glacier Overlook on the east side due to hazardous driving conditions and winter weather conditions.

The Park’s higher elevations have winter weather conditions, including wind, snow, ice and limited visibility. Winter weather conditions are anticipated to continue through Wednesday at the higher elevations.

The National Weather Service in Missoula reports that a secondary weather system is still anticipated to push across the region on Wednesday. The front associated with this system will once cause gusty northeasterly winds, especially through Bad Rock Canyon.

This system also will lift a moist air mass over Continental Divide, resulting in mountain passes receiving several inches of new snow by Thursday morning.

Snow accumulation will primarily be above 5,000 feet, but Flathead Valley down through the Bitterroot Valley could see a few snowflakes mixed in with the rain.

A very cold air mass will remain over the region and many locations will reach the freezing mark by Thursday night and Friday morning. Kalispell, Missoula and Butte could reach record lows on Friday morning.

For more information about road conditions in the Park, visit online at http://home.nps.gov/applications/glac/roadstatus/roadstatus.cfm.