Heavy snow and difficult travel expected again, heaviest snow in southern Minnesota

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Snowplows were back on the road Friday across much of Minnesota, clearing freeways, streets and sidewalks after 

 that dropped more than a half-foot of snow on parts of the state.

The National Weather Service received a report of 8.9 inches near Faribault, 8.7 inches at Bird Island, 8.5 inches near Blakely and 8.3 inches at Elko New Market.

Rochester received 5.9 inches, a record for the date. The official total at the Twin Cities airport was 5.5 inches.

Some cities across Minnesota — including Minneapolis, St. Paul and several Twin Cities suburbs — declared snow emergencies, meaning special parking rules are in effect to allow plows to full clear streets. Find a list of those communities below.

In Minneapolis, snow emergencies last three days. To start, there was no parking on snow emergency routes from 9 p.m. Thursday until 8 a.m. Friday — or until streets were fully plowed. 

Find a map showing snow emergency routes here

Starting at 8 a.m. Friday, there’s no parking on the even-numbered side of non-snow emergency routes — or on either side of parkways — until 8 p.m. Friday or until that side of the street is fully plowed.

And starting at 8 a.m. Saturday, there’s no parking on the odd-numbered side of non-snow emergency routes until 8 p.m. Saturday, or until that side of the street is fully plowed.

Snow emergency info

In St. Paul, vehicles not removed from night plow routes — that includes all downtown streets and other streets with “night plow route” signs posted — by 9 p.m. Thursday would have been ticketed and towed. 

Then, starting at 8 a.m. Friday, there’s no parking on day plow routes — that’s any street NOT marked with “night plow route” signs. Vehicles left on those streets after 8 a.m. Friday, and before they’re cleared to the curb, will be ticketed and towed.

The snow emergency remains in effect in St. Paul until 9 p.m. Monday.

How much snow fell?

Snow emergencies issued Thursday, Dec. 19

Some of these snow alerts or emergencies will extend through the weekend; check city websites for more information on snow emergency parking rules.

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Andrew Krueger

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Snowplows were back on the road Friday across much of Minnesota, clearing freeways, streets and sidewalks after Thursday’s winter storm. Snow emergencies remain in effect in Minneapolis, St. Paul and other cities.

Snow emergencies remain in effect for St. Paul, Minneapolis

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