Page 3 - ARUBA TODAY

A3
U.S. NEWS Tuesday 1 OcTOber 2019

Wintry blast closes schools,

plunges temperatures in

Rockies

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — snow. School superinten-
Some schools in Montana dents in some of those
took their earliest snow day communities said they
in memory Monday after couldn't remember the last
a blizzard dumped several time they had to cancel
feet of snow, while plunging school this early because
temperatures threatened of snow.
crops across other parts of "This is the first time in 23
the Rocky Mountains in an years for sure," said Les
unusually early blast of win- Meyer, superintendent in
try weather. the town of Fairfield. "I am
Freeze warnings were in sure we could have held
effect in parts of Utah and school, but the way this
Idaho, and temperatures storm hit and the lack of
were expected to drop into preparation for winter with
the teens and 20s in those all of us, it just made it a
states and Montana over- better situation for the stu-
night and Tuesday morn- dents, parents and staff to
ing. The cold set in with close for the day."
the lingering fall storm sys- Augusta Superintendent Garden City Harvest grower Brihannala Morgan gazes over her five-row plot after harvesting the
tem that dumped snow for Matt Genger said schools last of what she could from the plants in snow that hit Missoula, Mont., Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019.
three days across much of closed down Monday be- Associated Press
central and western Mon- cause of the road condi-
tana, including over 4 feet tions.
(1 meter) on the Blackfeet "I think our furthest student is
Reservation and Glacier 30 miles away," he said.
National Park. Snow drifts shut down the
While parts of the Rock- U.S.-Canada border cross-
ies were dealing with frigid ing at U.S. Highway 89,
temperatures and unusu- where state transportation
ally early snow, warnings officials also reported that
of extreme wildfire danger 200 head of cattle were
emerged in eastern Utah on the roadway. A crash
and much of Colorado, slowed traffic on Interstate
where temperatures as 15 and several surrounding
high as the mid-80s (30 de- state highways were closed
grees Celsius), gusty winds because of the snow.
and dry air were expected The National Weather Ser-
to create critical condi- vice issued both freeze
tions. warnings and extreme
Montana Gov. Steve Bull- wildfire danger warnings in
ock has declared an Utah. The hard-freeze warn-
emergency after the storm ings in the western part of
brought heavy, wet snow the state are expected to
and high winds that closed last until Tuesday, mean-
roads, downed trees and ing outdoor plumbing and
caused scattered power crops that have no protec-
outages. The declaration tion could sustain signifi-
allows the state to mobi- cant damage.
lize resources to help areas The fire warning is in the
that were hit. eastern part of the state
The snow and treacherous near Moab through Mon-
roads led to school closures day evening.
Monday in Montana towns Like the Rockies, Nevada
near the Rocky Mountains saw wintry weather this
that received the most weekend. q