Old Man Winter Rolls Over Minnesota Yet Again

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO/AP) — Another wintry blast has buried northeastern Minnesota under more than a foot and a-half of new snow, disrupted travel and closed schools.

The National Weather Service says 22 inches of snow has fallen in the Lake County community of Two Harbors, with 20 inches at Lake Nichols in St. Louis County.

In the Twin Cities, the official snow total was 7.2 inches according to WCCO director of meteorology Mike Augustyniak. The amount of snow that fell on Thursday was 6.4 inches, which set a new record for April 18.

As of right now, 2013 has logged the fourth snowiest April on record, Augustyniak said.

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The Minnesota State Patrol said that since noon on Thursday, they have dealt with more than 400 crashes and 787 vehicles spinning out or going off the road. Of those crashes, 48 involved injuries.

One crash involved serious injuries and another involved a fatality. The State Patrol said 16-year-old Jonathon Pohlen of Houlton, Wis., was killed Thursday afternoon when he lost control on snowy Interstate 94 in eastern Minnesota, crossed over the median and collided with a truck's trailer.

On Friday morning, the Minnesota Department of Transportation said, "Heavy snow compaction and ice from Thursday's extensive snowfall are making travel difficult to hazardous from the southwest corner to the northeast corner of Minnesota." MnDOT cited the strong winds and drifting snow as their primary concern.

Duluth, Proctor and Cloquet are among the school districts canceling classes Friday. Minneapolis Public Schools announced no plans to cancel classes on Friday, however field trips were being called off.

In the metro, residents bemoaned what yet again felt like a slap in the face by lingering Old Man Winter.

"It's mid-April. I should be playing baseball, not shoveling my car out," one young man said.

Forecasters say the winter storm will move on Friday, with light snow lingering across central Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

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