The extraordinary Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park, Montana, is temporarily closed due to incoming weather and colder temperatures in the coming days. On Friday, October 9, around 7 p.m., the National Park Service closed the higher-alpine section from the Jackson Glacier Overlook to Avalanche Creek. This comes as severe unsettled weather arrives this weekend, sticks around until Tuesday, October 13, and could potentially last through Thursday, October 15.
The first meaningful accumulation of the early-season in the Northern Rockies begins Saturday night, with plummeting temperatures and snow levels dropping to around 4,000 feet. Then, the strongest part of the storm pushes in from Sunday into Monday, before slowing down on Tuesday. Some scattered snow showers could stick around at higher elevations on Wednesday before tapering off and getting warmer on Thursday. Although the forecast in Northwest Montana shows significantly less moisture than in Southwest Montana, a hard freeze and gusty winds are still expected, causing extremely hazardous conditions while driving or recreating.
- Related: SnowBrains Forecast: Southwest Montana Leads the Weekend Snowfall in the Northern Rockies (MT/WY/ID)
Glacier National Park usually closes this section of the road near the middle to end of October, while keeping the western entrance open year-round. However, when rain, snow, and below-freezing temperatures arrive sooner than expected, rangers can be forced to close the road temporarily, or earlier overall for everyone’s safety.
With the incoming weather system headed for this region, it’s possible that the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park could remain closed depending on the extent of the weather and what Park Rangers decide is best. Once the road closes, it will stay closed until June or sometimes even July, depending on the snowpack.
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