Helena, Mont. • Temperatures plunged across the Rocky Mountains on Monday as residents in Montana dug out from a wintry blast that left several feet of snow and caused the governor to declare an emergency.
Freeze warnings were in effect in parts of Utah, Idaho and Wyoming, with temperatures forecast to drop into the teens and 20s. The cold set in with the lingering fall storm system that dumped snow for three days across much of central and western Montana, including over 4 feet (1.22 meters) on the Blackfeet Reservation.
While parts of the Rockies were dealing with frigid temperatures and unusually early snow, extreme wildfire danger warnings emerged in eastern Utah and much of Colorado on Monday, where temperatures as high as the mid-80s (30 degrees Celsius), along with gusty winds and dry air were expected to create critical fire conditions.