No Travel Advised In Western Minnesota Due To Snow
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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO/AP) -- Heavy, blowing snow is causing problems in western Minnesota.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation is advising no travel in west-central Minnesota. The no travel advisory includes Becker, Big Stone, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Mahnomen, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens, Swift, Traverse and Wilkin counties.
The Minnesota State Patrol says troopers handled 239 crashes and 398 vehicles off the road during the day Sunday. There were no serious injuries or fatalities.
At Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, more than 50 flights were canceled, according to spokesman Pat Hogan.
The city of Bloomington has declared a snow emergency for Sunday, Feb. 10 and Monday, Feb. 11. Other cities, including Minneapolis, St. Paul, Crystal, Golden Valley, Hopkins, West St. Paul, Mendota Heights and St. Cloud have also declared snow emergencies.
The moisture moved into the Twin Cities from the southwest. Heavy snow started falling in the northern parts of the state earlier Sunday morning.
A lot of snow is headed our way when all is said and done. Meteorologist Matt Brickman said the temperature was a key factor in Sunday's storm -- temps stayed mild bringing freezing rain but soon turned cold enough to shift any precipitation into snow.
And it's not just one round of snow -- we'll be dealing with several throughout the day.
A couple of inches could accumulate earlier Sunday with the bulk of the storm hitting in the early afternoon and evening.
The Twin Cities will see anywhere from 4 to 8 inches of snow by Monday. From Minneapolis and north, those totals will be around 6 to 8 inches and south of the Twin Cities, there will be less -- more like 2 to 4 inches total.
In the northern areas of the state, as much as 8 to 12 inches of snow could fall.
If that weren't enough, some strong winds will be developing -- 25 to 35 mph, and even 40 mph, winds will head in from the north, blowing that fresh snow and creating tough visibility into Monday morning.
Blizzard warnings will be in place from 9 p.m. Sunday to 6 a.m. Monday for areas like Fargo, New Ulm and Worthington. Much of the state will also be under a winter storm warning, due to the amount of snow likely headed our way.
Monday won't be a huge snow day but it will stay windy -- with limited visibility and plenty of snow blowing around. Roads will be difficult, with the fresh piles of snow adding with those high winds. Traffic is expected to be slow, so leave plenty of time for your morning commute.
(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
