Blizzard Chills Northern Plains

An early spring blizzard barreled into the northern plains Sunday with blinding snow, threatening young livestock and dropping temperatures that had reached as high as the 80s.

The blizzard moved across the Canadian border into Montana Sunday morning, and blizzard alerts in the state warned of strong winds and near-zero visibilities, said National Weather Service forecaster Lyle Alexander.

Winds gusted to 67 m.p.h. just north of the Canadian border, and a 62-m.p.h. gust was clocked at Havre, Mont.

Stockmen Warned

Temperatures in the storm’s path were mostly in the single digits and teens, and “wind chills aren’t too bad right now,” Alexander said. “Stockmen should take immediate concern for young livestock.”

At noon Sunday, the temperature at Rapid City, S.D., stood at 80 degrees. Seven hours later, it had dropped to 40, and winds gusted to 55 m.p.h. as the city caught the eastern edge of the storm.

The storm was expected to move south and east, prompting advisories for snow and blowing snow across parts of southern Wyoming and Colorado’s northwest plateau.

Up to 6 inches of snow was expected in the northern and western mountains of Wyoming and up to 7 inches over the state’s southeast corner by tonight.

The temperature climbed to 87 degrees Sunday at Goodland, Kan., but the region was under a winter storm warning, with heavy snow and high winds expected today.