Record snow cuts power, snarls traffic

By BECKY SHAY and LANCE BENZEL and Lorna Thackeray
Of The Gazette Staff

A storm that dumped a record 9.9 inches of snow on Billings Tuesday sent tree branches crashing into power lines through the night killing electricity for thousands of NorthWestern Energy customers.

A power company spokesman could give no estimate on when power will be restored to 8,000 customers still without service Wednesday morning.

At 6 a.m. Wednesday, total snowfall at Billings Logan International Airport had reached 10.8 inches for the storm. The Weather Service Office in West Billings measured 4 inches on the ground.

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