BOISE, Idaho — Summer has come to an abrupt halt in parts of the Rocky Mountains as temperatures reaching into the 90s have plunged by around 60 degrees in less than 24 hours. This comes a day after people in Colorado fled their homes because of a wildfire that ballooned in hot, windy weather.
A powerful surge of cold air from Canada is unleashing snow and damaging winds in several states Tuesday.
The roller coaster weather ripped up trees by their roots and knocked out power to tens of thousands in Utah.
It piled up snow that shut down parts of the scenic road through Glacier National Park in Montana.
Highways in Wyoming including portions of Interstate 80 began closing as snow picked up across the state, where forecasters predicted up to a foot of snow in the mountains.
Wyoming 251 and 258 are both closed. The Wyoming Department of Transportation is warning against unnecessary travel due to slick conditions and continuing wet and icy snow.
Strong winds have knocked out power in northern Utah.
Scattered winter storm warnings and weather advisories are posted from southern Montana to southern Colorado.
There is some good news. The temperature drop is helping with wildfires in Colorado and Montana that had ballooned in hot, windy weather.
