According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, there are four conditions before the weather can be classified as an "Indian summer."

It’s a period of abnormally warm weather occurring in late autumn between St. Martin’s Day, Nov. 11 and November 20, with generally clear skies, sunny but hazy days and cool nights.

The time of occurrence is important. It occurs after at least one good killing frost but also be before the first snowfall; preferably a substantial period of normally cool weather must precede this warm spell.

As well as being warm, the atmosphere is hazy or smoky, there is no wind, the barometer is standing high, and the nights are clear and chilly. A moving, cool, shallow polar air mass is converting into a deep, warm, stagnant anticyclone (high pressure) system, which has the effect of causing the haze and large swing in temperature between day and night.

The point is golfers love this weather, and so does the Montana Department of Transportation as they are work on next year’s projects this fall.

Along with construction partner, Frontier West, Montana DOT is preparing to raise the bridge deck in order to replace four bearings on the bridge that carries Interstate I-90 traffic over the Clark Fork River, 6 miles east of Alberton.

Motorists should expect stop-and-go traffic and delays through the construction work zone. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction over the bridge and flaggers will slow traffic down to 5 mph while work is being performed beneath the bridge deck. Once the bridge has been raised, the slower speeds will reduce the vibrations on the structure and allow the contractor to replace the bearings safely and efficiently.

All scheduled work is dependent on weather and other factors. Westbound wide loads greater than 12 feet are restricted and must use an alternate route. Eastbound wide loads greater than 12 feet must stage at mile marker 78 (east of the Petty Creek Interchange, Exit 77).

For the safety of the public and construction workers, MDT encourages motorists to plan ahead, allow extra travel time, slow down, and use caution through work zones. Call Poteet Construction at 406-360-8187 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, for further information on passage through the project area.