Yellowstone National Park abruptly closed Monday. Historic flooding caused roadway and bridges to shut down across the state and those stuck in the national park were forced to evacuate.
Tourism is completely shut down in parts of Montana and all the Yellowstone entrances are closed, as reported by GearJunkie. The flooding that took over the park’s northern gate and other parts of Montana is from an ‘atmospheric river,’ a phenomenon described as a ‘river in the sky’ by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which resulted in heavy rain. So much rain, that it is 200-300 percent over normal rainfall levels for the state.
Mudslides and flooding are destroying bridges and roads in the park. Three hours from Yellowstone, displaced Red Lodge, Minnesota residents are going to an emergency evacuation shelter set up by the American Red Cross of Montana, reports KULR8.
Parts of Wyoming are under flood warnings as well.
Many who had planned to travel into Yellowstone for camping, hiking, RVing and hotel stays are keeping an eye on the news to see the extent of the damage. Currently, these roads are completely closed to vehicular traffic: the North Entrance of Gardiner, Montana through to Mammoth Hot Springs; Mammoth Hot Springs to Tower-Roosevelt; Tower-Roosevelt to the Northeast Entrance; Mammoth Hot Springs to Norris Junction; and Canyon Junction to Tower-Roosevelt. Park roads will remain closed for an unknown and possibly lengthy period.
The National Park Service calls the situation, ‘extremely hazardous conditions’ with heavy flooding and rockslides. The power is out in multiple areas of the park, and park administration warns that the many roads have been either washed out or covered in mud or rocks, and bridges may be washed out. There’s also concern about wastewater system and water treatment facility strain. More rainfall is forecast for the next few days, and the entrance closures are intended to keep visitors from getting trapped in the park.
