Cold follows snowstorm

Drivers advised to stay off roads
Driver plowed through more than six inches of snow on Twin Cities roads last night. Road conditions are much improved this morning.
MPR Photo/Tim Nelson

A major winter storm moved through Minnesota on Thursday, giving the state a fresh blanket of snow and causing at least one death.

Drivers should find much better road conditions today, too, after yesterday's snowfall snarled traffic in many areas of the state.

The National Weather Service reports that between 5 inches and 8 inches of snow fell throughout most of central and southern Minnesota, with a few spots over 9 inches.

Those include some small towns in west-central Minnesota, including 11 inches in Carlos and nearly 10 inches in Donnelly. The highest reported total in the metro is just over 7 inches in Bloomington.

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Bitter cold is following the storm, with temperatures at or below zero forecast for much of the state, with subzero windchills due to strong winds.

Transportation officials say the heavy winds could still cause drifting and blowing on highways today.

MnDOT spokesman Kent Barnard says road conditions should improve through the day.

"Toward the end of February the weather is really working to our advantage with warmer pavement temperatures warmer air temperatures. And then if we get sunshine, that obviously helps us quite a bit in clearing the roads," said Barnard.

A man was struck and killed by a snowplow near downtown Minneapolis around 7:30 last night. Authorities say the man was crossing against the light when he was hit.