Schools are closed or delayed, snow emergencies are in effect and travel is downright difficult after a winter storm battered the metro area and much of southern Minnesota overnight.
In the Twin Cities, Metro Transit and Maple Grove Transit have suspended bus service until further notice, the agencies said. Light-rail trains continued to operate. Minnesota Valley Transit Authority and SouthWest Transit also halted bus service.
A few more inches of heavy wet snow will fall Wednesday morning in the metro area before a winter storm warning ends at 3 p.m., the National Weather Service said.
Blizzard warnings remained in effect across southern Minnesota as winds gusting to 45 mph blew snow around reducing visibility and creating whiteout conditions, the Weather Service said.
A number of major roads remained closed Wednesday morning, including Interstate 90 between Luverne and Blue Earth. A no-travel advisory was in effect for Freeborn, Faribault, Blue Earth, Brown, Waseca, Nicollet, Le Sueur, Rock and Sibley counties, the Minnesota Department of Transportation said.
Early Wednesday morning, metro area roads remained snow covered and littered with crashes and spinouts, according to MnDOT.
From midnight to 7 a.m., the State Patrol responded to 25 spinouts, 70 crashes, 111 vehicles that went off the road and seven jackknifed semis.
A semi was stuck on the ramp from Interstate 494 to Hwy. 100 in Bloomington. (Minnesota Department of Transportation)
“Every incident slows things down,” said MnDOT spokeswoman Anne Meyer, reiterating the need to drive slowly and leave plenty of room between vehicles.
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