No end in sight for snow

It seems there will be no reprieve of the snow that has enshrouded Libby and Troy in recent weeks.

As of Sunday evening, there was a depth of 37 inches of snow on the ground in Libby, according to Ray Nickless, hydrologist for the National Weather Service Missoula Weather Forecast Office.

"Winter has finally arrived in Montana," Nickless said. "We haven't had one in awhile."

School was closed on Friday in Libby and many teachers were seen atop school buildings shoveling snow to keep the roofs from collapsing under the weight.

During the Libby City Council meeting on Monday, the city council made a resolution to apply for a state of snow emergency, which would provide additional funding for snow removal.

"This gives us the ability to receive funds from the state," Berget explained. "It's devastating to our budget and staff members. We have four guys who plow and now we have a fifth guy helping who usually reads the water meters."

The water meter reading staff will be estimating meter readings for the next couple months, as well, Berget said.

"It's hard for the guys to get in there," he continued. "We need them for snow removal. If bills are too high, we'll give [residents] a break in the next month's bill."

Berget also said the city understands if residents must throw snow in the streets or alleys.

"It's just come at us all at once," Berget conceded.

Sen. Max Baucus and Rep. Denny Rehberg's offices called and asked what they could do to help, Berget said.

"I told Baucus he should grab a shovel and a snowplow," Berget joked.

Declaring the situation a snow emergency would allow the city to levy two mills to finance the snow removal and the state would match the funds, Berget explained.

"Right now we're just taking care of the snow," he said. "We'll work out the finances when it gets to that. The declaration is the first step."

With the forecast calling for 5-12 inches of more snow by Wednesday, it seems this winter is comparable to the last heavy snow winter of 1996-1997.

"There is less weight of snow [in comparison to the 1996-1997 winter], but it's similar," Berget explained. "That winter caught us by surprise because it started in October and didn't quit until December."

Currently the snowpack in the mountains is above normal and is very close to the 1997 snowpack, Nickless said.

"The snowpack is currently at 200-250 percent of average," Nickless explained. "Libby is one of the leaders in the amount of snow in Montana right now."

Nickless noted Olney, between Eureka and Whitefish, currently has approximately 50 inches of snow.

The weather is part of a pattern flow from the southwest and many systems are dropping in from the Pacific Northwest, Nickless continued.

"Libby is favorable for snow," he added.

There will be a small break from snow this weekend, Nickless said. It will be slightly warmer with temperatures in the high 30s and there may be a mix of rain and snow, he continued.

"There will still be precipitation, but it will be wetter snow," he said. "The temperature will drop back down again. Basically there is no end in sight."