Roads clearer, but ice sticking around
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Updated: 4:57 p.m.
MnDOT cleared state roads well enough to re-open in western and southwestern parts of the state by late afternoon, but many are still snow covered and icy.
State agencies continued to advise no travel, especially with temperatures so low and wind chills as low as 30 below.
In blizzard conditions with dangerously low temperatures, the Minnesota National Guard helped local law enforcement and the State Patrol rescue people trapped in Renville and Jackson counties, among other locations Friday evening.
Agencies pleaded with people to be patient and stay off the roads to give crews time to clear drifted snow.
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“There are several areas where large drifts are blocking both lanes of the roadways and because of the winds the last several days the drifts are very hard and are going to take our crews much longer than normal to clear,” Cottonwood County’s public works department posted to social media.
Minnesota’s emergency management agency said Friday night there were at least 60 people sheltered in Renville County and 22 in Freeborn County. “Crews are having difficulty getting stranded motorists in Kandiyohi County to the Willmar Armory, so they are using a nearby fire department,” the Homeland Security and Emergency Management said on Twitter.
MnDOT says while I-90 has reopened, caution is still advised because of reduced visibility caused by drifting and blowing snow. No travel advisories were lifted from state highways in the following counties: Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Le Sueur, Martin, Nicollet, Nobles, Rock, Sibley, Waseca, and Watonwan.
As the storm moves eastward, winter weather advisories continue in southeastern and northeastern Minnesota. The National Weather Service in Duluth says 35 to 45 mile per hour wind gusts with higher wind speeds along the north shore will persist through Saturday but are expected to abate in the evening. Temperatures are 5 to 15 below zero and the wind chill advisory continues into Sunday, according to the weather service.
WTIP North Shore Community Radio reported Friday evening there were multiple power outages reported by Arrowhead Cooperative and Great River Energy due to a transmission issue.
Many flights were canceled Saturday morning, as the enormous winter storm took a holiday travel toll in throughout the Midwest and East Coast.
The Minnesota State Patrol said there were 180 crashes Saturday morning and 97 vehicles spun out or went off the road, but no serious injuries or fatalities.
In Brown County, which includes New Ulm, plows were pulled off the roads Friday afternoon because the winds were pushing snow back across roads as soon as they were cleared.
“While it may look safe in town where you have a lot of trees and buildings that kind of shelter (against) the wind, once you get out into the county, and the country, the wind picks up and the visibility goes down to almost nothing,” Brown County Sheriff Jason Seidl told MPR News.
Seidl said he and his deputies had to go out to get drivers who were stuck on roads in the county.
“These vehicles are being abandoned right in the middle of the road cause they're catching drifts. So now that leaves danger for people trying to get those vehicles out, if they're trying to shovel,” he said. “Now another person tries to go out there when they shouldn't be out there, and they run into the back of ‘em.”
As for the stranded vehicles, Seidl said, “they're probably going to be almost covered up with snow drifts and all of a sudden now — plows are going to be hitting these in upcoming days.”
2,100+ crashes and counting
Difficult driving that started amid the falling snow on Wednesday continued into Thursday and Friday on Minnesota roads, as the subzero temperatures made it difficult to clear compacted snow and ice.
Between 6 a.m. Wednesday and 11:30 a.m. Friday, the State Patrol reported more than 2,100 crashes and spinouts on Minnesota highways. That total is just for state and federal highways and doesn’t count city and county roads. There were no reports of serious injuries or fatalities.
Blowing and drifting snow — and lingering ice — will continue to make travel difficult across the region into the weekend.
MnDOT said it would have 800 snowplows and 1,600 drivers ready to clear highways across the state, when it was safe to do so.
Drivers can check road conditions on the state's 511 website and should try to avoid driving during the worst of the storm.
Watching the airport and train stations
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport reported dozens of canceled flights and additional delays Friday, following dozens of cancellations on Thursday.
But many flights still arrived and departed on time.
Twin Cities airport officials said travelers should keep an eye on the forecast and their flight's status, and expect delays on roads near the airport.
For rail transport, Amtrak has canceled trains on its Empire Builder route between Chicago and Seattle — including the stretch across Minnesota — through Sunday due to the winter storm.
Amtrak says it made that decision “in an abundance of caution” given the blizzard conditions and dangerously cold wind chills.
It's waiving fees for passengers who want to change their travel plans.
Power outage concerns
Minnesota utility companies reported sporadic power outages Friday, as the gusty winds battered trees already weakened by previous storms this winter.
Minnesota Power reported outages affecting more than 1,500 customers in the Duluth area just after noon, though most of those homes and businesses had power restored by late afternoon.
While not widespread, any outages were of particular concern amid subzero temperatures and dangerous wind chills.
And utilities were bracing for more downed lines.
“The biggest threat for power outages is expected to come from trees still loaded down with snow from last week’s wet, heavy snowfall. High winds, coupled with low temperatures this week that will make the trees more brittle, could lead to more trees and limbs contacting power lines,” Minnesota Power reported. The utility said its crews have “been working since last week’s storm to pre-emptively remove trees that threaten power lines and could cause an outage.”
“Despite the preventative tree removals, power outages are still possible during this storm. Travel and working conditions are expected to be hazardous and difficult at times and could slow any response during what is expected to be bitterly cold and windy weather.”
Natural gas utilities urge energy conservation
Minnesota's natural gas providers urged customers to consider turning down their heat to conserve energy during the cold snap.
Extreme cold across much of the U.S. has caused a short-term spike in natural gas prices.
Ross Corson is a spokesperson for CenterPoint Energy, Minnesota's largest natural gas distributor. He said they're not concerned about having enough gas to keep the heat going. But Corson said consumers can take steps to conserve energy and save money.
"In general, I think people should just keep that thermostat at a level that they feel comfortable with. But if you can lower it, like down to 65 degrees during the day and a little bit lower even at night, or when they're away, that conserves energy," he said.
Corson said other ways to conserve energy include cleaning or replacing your furnace filter, keeping shades or curtains open during the day and closing them at night, and adding weather stripping around doors and windows.
Anyone who's having trouble paying their heating bills should contact their utility to set up a payment plan and see if they're eligible for energy assistance.
Links for more information
Here’s how to keep tabs on forecasts, travel conditions and flight updates over the next few days.
Forecast updates
MPR News: Live weather blog and real-time radar
National Weather Service: Snowfall reports
Travel conditions
These state transportation departments offer live updates on road conditions and crashes:
For bus and light rail riders in the Twin Cities, Metro Transit offers weather-related updates on its Metro Transit and Metro Transit Alerts Twitter pages, as well as on its website.
Flight updates
If you’re planning to fly from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport or another airport around the region — or if you are expecting visitors to arrive by plane — airports offer flight status updates online:
Trail conditions
While a winter storm can cause trouble for travelers, it can be welcome news for skiers, snowmobilers and other winter activity enthusiasts.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources offers updates on cross-country ski and snowmobile trail conditions at state parks and along state trails around Minnesota.
The Minnesota Ski Areas Association posts updates on snow conditions at downhill ski and snowboard areas around the state.
The Loppet Foundation posts updates on cross-country ski trail conditions in Minneapolis.
SkinnySki.com shares cross-country ski trail updates from across the state.