LIVINGSTON, MONTANA — Truck drivers passing through Montana on Thursday described some of the most dangerous wind conditions they had ever encountered on the road, as powerful gusts blew over multiple semi-trucks on Interstate 90 and forced the closure of I-90 between Livingston and Big Timber, according to KBZK. 

Park County Rural Fire responded to two semi-trucks blown over on I-90 during the storm. One of those trucks fell onto a Park County Sheriff's deputy's patrol vehicle while the deputy was inside assisting at the first scene. Everyone involved in both incidents is okay, according to the Park County Sheriff's Office.

Keith McIntyre, a 24-year veteran truck driver from Georgia who was passing through Montana to deliver french fries to Michigan, said the winds were beyond anything he had ever experienced in his career. "I've never seen winds like this before in my life," McIntyre said.

McIntyre said the wind poses a unique and unpredictable danger that even experienced drivers struggle to manage. "You can be blown over at any time. Snow, you just got to slow down. You use a lot of energy trying to control the truck, so I wouldn't recommend it to anybody," he said.

His advice to anyone considering driving in such conditions was blunt. "It's terrible. If you don't have to be out in it, I wouldn't recommend being out in it," McIntyre said. When asked about driving in wind compared to other weather conditions, he was unequivocal. "This is the worst," he said.

James Bowman, a truck driver with five months of experience who was hauling beer through the area, shared the same perspective on wind as a driving hazard. "I've experienced pretty much everything that Mother Nature has to offer. Wind's the most unstable. There's no gauge for how quickly it's going to change," Bowman said.

Bowman said slowing down is the single most important safety measure in windy conditions, and urged drivers to remain mindful of the vehicles around them. "You have to be aware of other drivers because not everyone is as big as we are, so they don't have to take the same things into accountability," Bowman said. He also noted the importance of considering load size and keeping trucks properly serviced when operating in challenging weather.

For Bowman, wind stands alone as the most dangerous and unpredictable condition a truck driver can face. "It's really the most problematic and turbulent," he said.

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