Minnesota Weather: Snow Blankets Metro Area Ahead Of Another Round

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Roughly half a foot of snow fell across the Metro Sunday, leading to the ire of drivers and excitement of outdoors enthusiasts.

Minnesota State Patrol said between 6 a.m. and 8:30 p.m., troopers responded to 375 crashes – 22 people were injured. They say nearly 400 vehicles ran off the road or spun out and needed to be towed.

Near Eau Clair Wisconsin, a 40-car pileup stopped traffic along Interstate 94.

Due to the crashes, truck driver Miguel Ulloa took another day off at a rest area near Maple Grove.

"It just doesn't let up," he said. "I think I catch a break, feel like I can get on the road again and it starts all over again, so just wasn't worth the risk."

Other truck drivers shared his opinion, sitting in the warmth of their semis all afternoon. Ulloa and his dogs that made the trip from Texas with him have been at the rest area since Friday morning.

"Keeping ourselves safe, and we'll get back on the road when we're ready," he said.

As the day wore on and the sun peeked out, some felt it was the perfect time to head outside. Families happily embraced a rough and tumble ride down a sledding hill at Clifton French Regional Park in Plymouth.

"It's super fluffy," said Katelynn Robinson of the snow. "You get a little bit (of snow) in your face, I mean we've been whitewashed a few times, but it's nice other than that."

The excitement on a sledding hill, shared by people of all ages, is a reminder that there is fun to be had when measurable snow hits the ground.

"I love winter, I love the snow and actually it makes me feel a lot better because the past few winters we haven't had a ton of snow," Robinson said.

A MnDOT spokesman said 200 plow trucks are working across the Metro and will be through the next snowstorm Monday night.

By Tuesday evening, the Twin Cities could see more than 6 inches of snow. Owatonna could see 11 inches of snowfall, while St. Cloud should expect more than 4 inches of snow.

He said trucks could also be working into Thursday. If anything, the slightly warmer temperatures mean salt will do a better job of melting any ice and snow.