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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Widespread snowfall swept across Minnesota Tuesday, the second round of a winter storm that already dropped several inches Monday in central Minnesota. The two-day event has left some communities with well over a foot of snow.
WCCO Chief Meteorologist Chris Shaffer says by the time the system pushed east into western Wisconsin late Tuesday night, the Twin Cities accumulated nearly 5 inches of snow. A number of communities in central Minnesota and along the North Shore reported around a foot of snow over the two-day event. These places include Wendell (13 inches), Clarissa (14 inches), Brainerd (9.5 inches), Duluth (17 inches), and Castle Danger (14 inches).
Minneapolis and St. Paul both declared snow emergencies Tuesday afternoon, as did a number of Twin Cities suburbs. Dozens of schools across Minnesota cancelled or delayed in-person classes Tuesday, including large districts in the Twin Cities, such as St. Paul Public Schools.
Although the snow has stopped, high winds will be blowing it around in the overnight Wednesday, causing visibility issues on roads. The combination of wind and subzero temperatures will make for dangerous cold.
The National Weather Service has issued a wind chill warning for much of western Minnesota, where wind chill factors could be as frigid as 50 below zero. In such bone-chilling cold, frostbite can set in on exposed skin in as little as five minutes. Additionally, most of central and northern Minnesota are under wind chill advisories. The Twin Cities is not under the advisory.
(credit: CBS)
We’ll fall below zero early Wednesday, and spend the next couple nights in that territory. The metro will have a high of only 5 degrees Wednesday, but the winds will be notably lighter, and there will be some sunshine.
The next storm system will hit the southern third of the state starting Thursday morning, with most of the accumulation in the south-west corner of the state. The metro may see some flurries.
Temperatures will warm back into the 30s Saturday, and Shaffer says temperatures will remain near average as we head into March.
Though the Twin Cities saw little impact from the first wave, the second caused problems on the roads, as the snow reduced visibility and made surfaces slick. Between 5 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, the Minnesota State Patrol reported 351 crashes statewide, with 36 of them resulting in injuries. There were also 169 vehicle spinouts, and six jackknifed semis. Additionally, several flights were delayed or canceled at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
One crash near Elko New Market led to a pile-up on Interstate 35, where a 16-mile stretch of the northbound lanes were closed for three hours.
Source: CBS Minnesota
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