Blacktail closes for day as result of power outage

Blacktail Mountain Ski Area has been forced to close for the day after a power outage.

A power outage early Thursday (Dec. 29) closed runs on the ski hill. Wind toppled a tree on the main power line on Blacktail Road, according to Flathead Electric Co-op. Power was out to 36 customers before being restored by 10:30 a.m.

Blizzard conditions with high winds hit the mountain the night before and dumped 4-5 inches of snow on the upper mountain with rain at the bottom, according to Blacktail's website.

There were also power outages around Bigfork and along the Middle Fork of the Flathead River.

The National Weather Service in Missoula is predicting inclement weather into the weekend.

Snow levels are expected to start off around 4,000 feet and then increase to around 5,000 feet Friday morning. Snow levels are set to decrease Friday afternoon with snow at all elevations by Saturday morning.