November in Bozeman

For those of you who might be spending your first November in Montana, I thought I should take a moment to alert you to what’s in store for you.

Montana weather is always erratic. Anyone who has lived here for any length of time has seen snow every month of the year. I’ve lived here 25 years and have yet to see a Thanksgiving without measurable snow on the ground.

Traffic and Time Change

Daylight Saving Time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday Nov. 5. The Monday following is always interesting.

Because of our geographic location on the globe in summer the days are much longer and in winter the daylight hours are much shorter. So get ready to go to work in the dark and drive home in the dark.

People often set their clocks the wrong way and are really early for work or they are very late. The old saying is “Spring Forward; Fall Back.”

So set your clocks back an hour at bedtime Saturday night November 4th.

MSU College students, who have never or rarely driven on snow and ice, are going to take to the roadways with you. Some of them will be either high or inebriated or both depending on the time of day.

During finals you can add a couple of cases of Red Bull to the mix.

Thanksgiving In Bozeman

The biggest drinking day of the year is the night before Thanksgiving. It’s bigger than the Super Bowl, Fourth of July or New Year’s Eve .

Every living relative shows up and gets a drink with the family on Thanksgiving Eve.

You’re not only going to have to budget for Christmas coming up in December but also enough food and drink for a small army. Not to mention the time you’ll have to make to clean house to your mother-in-law’s standards.

Thankfully the next day is a day off for most people other than the ones who have to open their stores at midnight for Black Friday Sales.

Most will trip out on too much turkey and dressing and will nap all afternoon. It, along with Christmas, is probably the safest time to drive in the city.

Some Final Thoughts

It’s often said Bozeman has two seasons — construction and winter. I can confirm the correctness of that statement.

As we move into November here are some suggestions. Check your tires; check your battery, put jumper cables, candles, blankets, flashlight with red flasher, a shovel, and kitty litter in your trunk.

If you find yourself in a snow bank somewhere in the middle of the night these items might save your life.

Pay attention to weather forecasts and plan your trips accordingly. Let’s all have a safe November.

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