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Snow Storm Blankets Twin Cities

MINNEAPOLIS (AP/WCCO) — Winter is back in the Twin Cities after a storm dumped up to 6 inches of snow in parts of the metro area Friday night.

Reports show snow totals Saturday morning ranged from 3.6 inches at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to 6 inches in Little Canada.

The Minnesota State Patrol reported that there were more than 530 crashes and spin-outs across the state. In all, 39 people were hurt.

Hennepin County tweeted that there was a full call out for plows.

Around 10:30 a.m. the city of Minneapolis declared a snow emergency. The cities of Plymouth, Robbinsdale, Richfield and St. Paul also declared snow emergencies.

The snow was expected to taper off by mid-day Saturday with colder temperatures on tap for the next few days, including below-zero temperatures overnight Monday and Tuesday.

Snowfall up until now had been barely half of the 30-year average of 21.2 inches for November and December, with just 10.8 inches recorded in Minneapolis since Nov. 1.

At Twin Cities Transport and Recovery, it was a long day for John Grindland's tow truck drivers. John doubled his normal staffing, knowing the impact of a few snow flakes.

"It's a constant reminder that it's very dangerous out there," Grindland said. "Logistically, you make sure you have as many people that can do the job."

Towing companies aren't the only ones seeing a sudden rush.

At Settegren's Ace Hardware, new snow always leads to a flurry of activity. Business can jump by 50 percent in just one day.

"People are coming in for sleds, shovels, windshields, juice," a staff member said. "People have a smile on their face, the sun is out and we've got snow to be happy for."

While so many enjoy the first fresh coating in weeks, it's also easy to predict our feelings toward snow in the near future.

"It's a long winter," one veteran of the white season said. "When it comes to be late February, people will be tired of the snow."

(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 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 All Rights Reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.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.)

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