Spring storm closes schools, slows traffic in southern Minnesota
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
(AP) - Schools closed or started late Wednesday and cars slid off roads as a slushy spring snowstorm pushed across the central and southern parts of the state. As much as 7 inches of snow had fallen in some placed by the afternoon.
From the southwestern corner of the state to the southeast, more than two dozen districts closed for the day, including Albert Lea, Browns Valley and Windom. Another dozen districts started their classes two hours late. Riverland Community College in Austin also closed.
Truckers stopping at the Shell's truck stop in Albert Lea reported seeing several cars in ditches. By 1 p.m. Wednesday, more than 200 trucks had parked for the day to wait out the snow and whipping winds, cashier Katie Toots said. On most afternoons, perhaps 50 trucks are parked at the station.
"It's snowing and blowing and sloppy and slushy," Toots said. "A lot of drivers just decided to stay put, 'cause further south it's not any better."
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
By Wednesday afternoon, the storm had dropped 7 inches of snow in Worthington and 2 inches in Fairmont, the weather service said. A line from St. James to Owatonna was expected to get the most snow, with as much as 8 inches expected.
The Twin Cities area was forecast to get 3 to 6 inches of snow. Light snow fell in the Twin Cities with the highest accumulations in the Woodbury and Stillwater areas.
Todd Fairbanks of the Regional Transportation Management Center in Roseville had some advice for commuters, "just slow down and use some caution."
Short delays of 15 minutes or less were reported for flights arriving and departing the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
The storm also contributed to a flood warning issued for the Red River at Whapeton, N.D., where the river was expected its reach flood stage of 10 feet on Friday and crest at around 11.5 feet early next week. The river was already bulging from runoff from last week's snowfall.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
