Freezing rain delays some schools

The North Star and Havre school districts delayed the start of the school day today, and Havre also canceled out-of-town buses, as freezing rain created slippery conditions in towns and on highways this morning.

Both districts announced classes would not start until 10 a.m. and said bus times would be pushed back two hours as a winter weather advisory still is in effect for this region.

Havre announced at 7:30 a.m. no out-of-town busing would run today due to hazardous road conditions.

Havre said in an announcement about 8 a.m. that Havre Middle School and High School will start with first period at 10 a.m. and breakfast and lunch will be available with lunch at the normal times and the district's Little Pony Daycare will open at 9:30 a.m.

Havre Superintendent Craig Mueller said the district will be evaluating the situation Friday morning.

The freezing rain comes after another period of almost summery weather in the region, with highs going into the 60s on some days.

That weather has hit on-and-off since January started, but interspersed with short periods of snow and bitterly cold weather, with lows well below zero on some days.

This weather pattern is not expected to be as cold as the previous drops in temperature.

National Weather Service predicts highs to be in the 30s in this region today, with lows in the 20s, then highs in the 20s through the weekend with lows in the 20s, teens or even single digits, with nights over the weekend likely to be coldest.

Some snow is in the forecast today through Friday morning, but none is predicted over the weekend.

A chance of snow is predicted starting Monday night through Wednesday, with temperatures expected to hit the 30s Monday and Tuesday before dropping back below freezing Wednesday.

The winter weather advisory is in effect until 5 p.m Friday and includes Blaine, Chouteau, Hill and Liberty counties. It says roads, and especially bridges and overpasses, will likely become slick and hazardous. People should plan on slippery road conditions.

Freezing fog, sometimes dense, is also possible at times, the advisory adds, with visibility reduced to one-quarter mile or less. This will also aid in producing icy conditions on exposed surfaces, including roads and sidewalks.

The advisory says people should slow down and use caution while traveling. The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 5-1-1 or visiting the Montana Department of Transportation Road Report webpage at https://www.mdt.mt.gov/travinfo/detailed.aspx or its interactive map at https://www.511mt.net .

"Be prepared for slippery roads," the advisory says. "Slow down and use caution while driving. If you are going outside, watch your first few steps taken on stairs, sidewalks, and driveways. These surfaces could be icy and slippery, increasing your risk of a fall and injury."

The advisory says, to see a graphical representation of the degree of stress on young livestock, people can visit the Weather Service webpage at https://www.weather.gov/tfx and select "Local Programs" then "Cold Air Advisory" for Newborn Livestock.