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Patrol: 393 Crashes, 559 Spinouts On Snowy Minn. Roads

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Minnesota drivers were involved in nearly 400 crashes and even more spin-outs Monday as the season's first snow storm began its march across the state.

Lt. Eric Roeske with the State Patrol said that since 5 a.m. troopers responded to a total of 393 crashes statewide. There were 559 vehicles that went off the road or spun out.

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In those crashes, 37 people suffered injuries. There was one fatality.

Minnesota State Patrol Winter Crash
(credit: Minnesota State Patrol)

The snow began falling in Minnesota at around 3 a.m. The eastward-moving system threatens to dump around a foot of snow on a swath of the state, and some areas could see as much as 18 inches.

The evening commute looks to be even more hazardous as the morning one, as heavy, wet snow is expected to fall on the metro around noon.

The State Patrol is urging drivers to go slow, and give themselves additional time to get to their destinations.

MnDOT says its plows will be working around the clock until the more than 12,000 miles of state roadways are clear.

More crash numbers will be given out Monday afternoon, officials said. The snow isn't expected to stop until Tuesday morning.

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