Surviving the Most Dangerous Storms on Montana Roads

It's only cropped up a few times through the winter, but if you've experienced a "snow squall" in Montana, you can testify to how frightening it can be.

National Weather Service forecasters say it's actually one of the most dangerous storms that can hit highways across the Treasure State.

That's why they've started using the warnings, which have been common in other parts of the country.

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What is a Montana snow squall?

It's a hazard that isn't just limited to the middle of the winter. In fact, spring can oftentimes increase the risk of snow squalls, as sudden, intense storms move across the Rockies. This past weekend, multiple cars were tangled in a pile-up in Western Utan. Or think of that major pileup that closed Bozeman Pass for hours last spring.

"The big message is, they tend to create a flash freeze on the roadway, where you're going from bare pavement, then all of a sudden you get really heavy snow," says NWS Meteorologist Alex Lukinbeal.

"You've got strong winds. You've got a rapid drop in temperature. The roadways freeze really fast, and then you're just dealing with really treacherous driving conditions."

The thunderstorm's "cousin"

A simple way to understand the threat of "snow squalls" is to consider what happens during intense thunderstorms in the summer. Like thunderstorms, they tend to be set off by fast-moving fronts and the process called "convection". Instead of high winds and a heavy downpour, they can create high winds and extremely high snow rates that can completely cut visibility to near zero.

Lukinbeal says the "snow squall" warnings have common in the Northeast for years, with NWS using them to warn drivers in heavy traffic situations to be prepared for the hazard.

This winter, we've only had a handful of times they've shown up in the forecast. But for meteorologists, it's another tool of warning of approaching danger.

"People that are going on those interstates and those highways are traveling at high speeds, and then all of a sudden they're encountering a a white wall of heavy snow," Lukinbeal explains. "And they've been prone to cause pile-up accidents and cause a lot of injuries and some fatalities. So we are just trying to give people a heads up." 

Snow squall safety tips

The forecasters say the best advice to stay safe is to travel carefully or delay your trip if snow squall warnings are issued. If you're on the road when one hits, don't just stop in your lane, or even pull over to the shoulder. Use your hazard lights and headlights trying to get completely off the highway and park in a safe spot until it passes.