Snow Tapers Off After Winter Storm Dumps Over 9 Inches On SW Minn.
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO/AP) – Ready or not, winter is finally here in Minnesota.
Snow fell throughout the night across the state, bringing impressive totals in the southwest. WCCO Weather Watchers reported 9.5 inches in Spring Grove and 8.2 in Alpha by Tuesday morning.
Highest total I've seen so far, 9.5" in Spring Grove (far SE Minnesota) #mnwx @WCCO pic.twitter.com/1cSp8diKqx
— Kylie Bearse (@KylieBearseWX) December 29, 2015
The National Weather Service reported a total of 5.5 inches at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
Reports from Weather Watchers ranged from 7 inches in Woodbury to 5.8 inches in Farmington to 0.4 inches in Maple Lake. Snow should taper off by Tuesday afternoon.
Winds haven't been so much of a factor Tuesday, but some places, including Rochester and Worthington, are seeing wind speeds at 10 mph and more. That's enough for reduced visibility.
MnDOT crews are out with plows and are working quickly to make sure roads are safe for the morning commute.
As of 1 p.m. Monday, Minnesota State Patrol reported 128 crashes, 15 of which involved injuries although non-serious or fatal.
Crews go through rigorous training sessions to prepare for these snow storms. MnDOT currently has 800 plows out statewide to clear all the roads. According to MnDOT engineer Scott McBride, the hundreds of plow drivers worked extended shifts to clear 12,000 miles of roadway.
However, MnDOT said drivers should expect to double their commute time.
Metro Transit also told commuters that 17 percent of buses are running late Tuesday morning. The average delay is three minutes. Those who take the LRT shouldn't experience any delays.
8:30 a.m. update: 17% of buses running late, average delay of 3 minutes. METRO trains are on schedule. https://t.co/sP8iVWYSp8
— Metro Transit (@MetroTransitMN) December 29, 2015
Snow also delayed air travelers.
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport said several airlines, including Delta and Sun Country, issued travel waivers due to weather across the Midwest.
Both Minneapolis and St. Paul have declared snow emergencies. Other cities, such as Bloomington, Mankato and Red Wing, have also declared snow emergencies.
Related: Snow Emergency Information
A winter storm warning that went into effect at 3 p.m. Monday is not expected to expire until 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Minnesota and Wisconsin are just two of 10 states under winter storm warnings across the country.
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