Need to brush up on your winter driving skills? Tips from MnDOT on this first major snowfall
I-94 at 95th Avenue in Maple Grove on the first major snowfall of the year.
Courtesy MnDOT
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It is the first weather event of the season so lots of us are out of practice driving in heavy snow and rain. For a closer look at road conditions across the state and some tips to stay safe, Anne Meyer from the Minnesota Department of Transportation joined Minnesota Now.
Here are some tips:
Slow down
Increase following distance
No distractions
Headlights on, cruise control off
Buckle up
Check conditions before you leave, avoid driving during heaviest snowfall
Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
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Audio transcript
CATHY WURZER: All right. So I have one eye on traffic management cameras in terms of traffic conditions. This is the first event of the season, so a lot of us are kind of out of practice driving in snow and rain. For a closer look at those road conditions, Anne Meyer from MnDOT is on the line. Hey, Anne. Thanks for taking the time.
ANNE MEYER: Yes. Hi, Cathy. How are you?
CATHY WURZER: Good.
ANNE MEYER: You really see the difference where some degrees are having an impact out there. Warmer areas are staying rain, but those colder spots are certainly seeing a little more of a snow impact.
CATHY WURZER: It looks like there's more ice and snow on the MnDOT cameras to the west and south and on the roads, so let's start in those areas of the state. Any issues to the west and south?
ANNE MEYER: Well, yes, we are seeing some snow covered roadways out there. A lot of MnDOT snow plows and city and county crews out there dealing with that snow. One thing that really helps us during fall events is we have a warmer road surface. So when this gets going, we're not seeing it instantly stick to the roadways, because many of those road temps are pretty warm starting off.
But anywhere where you're seeing that heavier snowfall, those bands that are happening just west of the Twin Cities metro, that's going to be the trouble spot for a little while here while this system continues to move out. We are seeing clearing, though, in southwest Minnesota where there was snow earlier today. That snow has moved out, so we're really getting back into the clear in those areas, and we're hoping for that continued success as this storm moves through.
CATHY WURZER: So I'm seeing that looks like snow accumulations can continue along the I-35 corridor over toward Bayfield, that area in Wisconsin-- which I know that doesn't include our area. But North Shore, Twin Ports this afternoon, what do you know about that area of northeastern Minnesota?
ANNE MEYER: Well, gosh, this is going to continue to move that direction. So we anticipate as the temps stay cold and the snow continues to fall, those areas will have some impact. This is why we want drivers to know before they go. Check out your route before you get behind the wheel so you know what you might encounter out there, and know that conditions are changing almost by the minute in some spots, depending upon what temperature you're dealing with.
So remember, snow will be impacting us throughout the season, so slow down. Keep a good distance between yourself and other drivers. If you can avoid some of the really bad heavy snow time, maybe it's better to stay home during those events. I know it's not as easy, but it is the best way to avoid all of the mess if you can just stay home during the worst parts of the storm.
CATHY WURZER: So you said that you have some plow drivers out on the road. Bless the plow drivers, by the way. We appreciate them. So how just curious, how do they prep for something like this, for a first snowfall of the season?
ANNE MEYER: So many of our women and men drivers have been with us for so long. Each element is different, so we're prepared. We train in October and September to really get ahead of the storm and get folks ready. We geared up equipment. But in Minnesota, we know it comes with the territory. And for last year, I think the snow started on October 30. This year, it's the 31.
We know we'll have a lot of people out there just uniquely with the Halloween season, so we do anticipate a lot of improvement as we get into the afternoon. And this rate really lowers itself, so we won't see as much of a snowfall, and then it's going to move out entirely to get us really ahead of the game and get whatever did stick to the roads off the roadway to hopefully make it good for trick or treaters out there tonight.
CATHY WURZER: All right. Anne, I appreciate the update. Thank you so much.
ANNE MEYER: Yes. Stay safe out there.
CATHY WURZER: Thank you. Anne Meyers with MnDOT. By the way, I'm going to give my usual reminder to folks. If you are listening to me right now in the car, turn your headlights on, please. Visibility not great out there in portions of the Twin Cities, and as we were just talking about, to the west of the metro area. And then as you head up 35 to around Carlton, Duluth, those areas, not great. So have your headlights on, please. We need to see you.
ANNE MEYER: Yes. Hi, Cathy. How are you?
CATHY WURZER: Good.
ANNE MEYER: You really see the difference where some degrees are having an impact out there. Warmer areas are staying rain, but those colder spots are certainly seeing a little more of a snow impact.
CATHY WURZER: It looks like there's more ice and snow on the MnDOT cameras to the west and south and on the roads, so let's start in those areas of the state. Any issues to the west and south?
ANNE MEYER: Well, yes, we are seeing some snow covered roadways out there. A lot of MnDOT snow plows and city and county crews out there dealing with that snow. One thing that really helps us during fall events is we have a warmer road surface. So when this gets going, we're not seeing it instantly stick to the roadways, because many of those road temps are pretty warm starting off.
But anywhere where you're seeing that heavier snowfall, those bands that are happening just west of the Twin Cities metro, that's going to be the trouble spot for a little while here while this system continues to move out. We are seeing clearing, though, in southwest Minnesota where there was snow earlier today. That snow has moved out, so we're really getting back into the clear in those areas, and we're hoping for that continued success as this storm moves through.
CATHY WURZER: So I'm seeing that looks like snow accumulations can continue along the I-35 corridor over toward Bayfield, that area in Wisconsin-- which I know that doesn't include our area. But North Shore, Twin Ports this afternoon, what do you know about that area of northeastern Minnesota?
ANNE MEYER: Well, gosh, this is going to continue to move that direction. So we anticipate as the temps stay cold and the snow continues to fall, those areas will have some impact. This is why we want drivers to know before they go. Check out your route before you get behind the wheel so you know what you might encounter out there, and know that conditions are changing almost by the minute in some spots, depending upon what temperature you're dealing with.
So remember, snow will be impacting us throughout the season, so slow down. Keep a good distance between yourself and other drivers. If you can avoid some of the really bad heavy snow time, maybe it's better to stay home during those events. I know it's not as easy, but it is the best way to avoid all of the mess if you can just stay home during the worst parts of the storm.
CATHY WURZER: So you said that you have some plow drivers out on the road. Bless the plow drivers, by the way. We appreciate them. So how just curious, how do they prep for something like this, for a first snowfall of the season?
ANNE MEYER: So many of our women and men drivers have been with us for so long. Each element is different, so we're prepared. We train in October and September to really get ahead of the storm and get folks ready. We geared up equipment. But in Minnesota, we know it comes with the territory. And for last year, I think the snow started on October 30. This year, it's the 31.
We know we'll have a lot of people out there just uniquely with the Halloween season, so we do anticipate a lot of improvement as we get into the afternoon. And this rate really lowers itself, so we won't see as much of a snowfall, and then it's going to move out entirely to get us really ahead of the game and get whatever did stick to the roads off the roadway to hopefully make it good for trick or treaters out there tonight.
CATHY WURZER: All right. Anne, I appreciate the update. Thank you so much.
ANNE MEYER: Yes. Stay safe out there.
CATHY WURZER: Thank you. Anne Meyers with MnDOT. By the way, I'm going to give my usual reminder to folks. If you are listening to me right now in the car, turn your headlights on, please. Visibility not great out there in portions of the Twin Cities, and as we were just talking about, to the west of the metro area. And then as you head up 35 to around Carlton, Duluth, those areas, not great. So have your headlights on, please. We need to see you.
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