Emergency alert issued, Canada-U.S. border crossing closed at Coutts due to winter storm

Story update Nov. 28: The border crossing onHighway 4reopened to southbound travelers on Thursday morning, but Montana highways remained in poor condition, theUnited States Customs and Border Protectionsaid.

Original story follows:

A winter storm information alert wasissued Wednesday evening, warning travellers to turn back if they're headed to the Canada-U.S. border crossing at Coutts, Alta. and Sweet Grass, Mont.

The border crossing was closed at 6:30 p.m. Highway 4 remains open in Canada, but travel is not recommended, while the I-15 is closed from the border to Shelby, Mont., where multiple vehicles have slid off the highway.

"If you come to U.S. Customs, they're turning you back," said Lori Rolfe, the Village of Coutts' chief administrative officer. "We have lots of snow and lots of blowing so visibility is not great."

Rolfe said the closure was extremely unusual the last time she recalls a similar incident was in 2000.

The village of 250 residents has filled its bed and breakfastand its motel with stranded travellers, and has opened an emergency centre at 105 Centre Ave. to welcome others who might need a place to stay.

Alberta Emergency Alert is cautioning travellers to stay off the roads between Milk River and Coutts.

A winter storm warning is also in place for the area, with snowfall expected to possibly exceed 50 centimetres on the Canadian side of the borderand gusty winds bringing visibility down to zero.

The snowfall is expected to peter out Thursday afternoon, Environment Canada said.

Across the border, the U.S. National Weather Service cautioned that snow could accumulate by as much as 70 centimetres.