Sanders, Mineral Counties affected by winter storm
<p>Batt Lulack of Plains plows snow off of Lynch Street Thursday morning while snow continues to fall and bury the Town of Plains after months of a winter dry spell.</p>
<p> A large pile of accumulated snow nearly engulfs a stop sign on Clayton Street in Plains Thursday.</p>
<p>What's left of the greenhouse next to the Mangy Moose Mercantile after the roof collapsed on January 19 due to the heavy snowfall.</p>
With the onset of a large winter storm system that rolled into Western Montana on Tuesday, area schools and locals have been greatly affected.
In Sanders County, National Weather Service spotters have reported 14 inches of snowfall in just the last 48 hours in Noxon. No other information of winter storm snow accumulation in other Sanders County towns was available.
Noxon and Hot Springs schools have cancelled classes for today. Plains, Thompson Falls, Trout Creek and Dixon Schools are open, however, Dixon School had a two-hour delay earlier this morning due to heavy snowfall.
In Mineral County, the winter storm snow accumulations are quite high and still rising. Mullan Pass had 26.5 inches as of 8:30 a.m. and St. Regis had 18 inches as of 7:00 a.m.
St. Regis School cancelled classes today at 7:00 a.m. Alberton schools delayed classes by two hours. Superior Schools are open today, though some students had trouble making it in, according to school officials.
City and town snow plows are working around the clock to keep roads clear. Snow continues to fall despite freezing rain conditions predicted earlier in the week. Snow is expected to be the main precipitation in Western Montana and Northern Idaho for the remainder of the week.
Be sure to check out vp-mi.com as more details become available about this first big winter storm!