Crashes, spinouts across Twin Cities as snow snarls commute
Minnesota got its first winter blast on Monday that caused traffic headaches and led to numerous crashes and spinouts metrowide.
The snow was "just enough to make it slick enough for everybody to forget how to drive," said a laughing James Betz. The owner of Superior Towing and Recovery, he towed about 20 cars by about 3 p.m. and expected to double that by the end of Monday.
Much of the Twin Cities saw between 2-3 inches accumulate with the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport measuring 4 inches by Monday evening, said Mike Griesinger, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Chanhassen.
"Today was a good reminder that when it snows, to slow down and add some time to your commute," he said.
The Twin Cities area could see a couple more inches of snow on Tuesday and a bit more Wednesday night and into Friday.
"We will see a lot of snow flying but it won't amount to much," Griesinger said.
Northeast Minnesota saw the most snow. Grand Marais measured 5.8 inches, according to the weather service. But Hovland, north of Grand Marais, measured the most with 9 inches by Monday evening.
Central Minnesota saw about 1-2 inches of snow and parts of southern Minnesota saw 2-4 inches.
Morning traffic was at a near standstill in some parts of the metro, Minnesota Department of Transportation cameras showed.
In Bloomington, a driver spun out on northbound Hwy. 169 near I-494 and the vehicle became wedged under a stalled semitrailer truck. The car's driver was taken to a hospital with minor injuries, Bloomington fire officials said.
"Slow down. Give plows plenty of room," MnDOT advised drivers in a tweet. "It's time to get back into winter driving mode."
Rachael Carl, 24, said the snow didn't slow her down on Monday. "I loved seeing the snow this morning, but I work from home so that probably changed my perspective," she said.
Poppy, a tan German shepherd mix, galloped through the snow Monday evening playing with her owner, Kevin Skadsheim, 37, at B.F. Nelson Park in Minneapolis.
He wasn't nervous driving in the snow with an all-wheel drive vehicle, but the new snowfall did surprise him, Skadsheim said as he tossed a tennis ball.
"I'm not a fan of winter, but I'll take the snow," Skadsheim said. "If everything is going to be dead, it's nice to have the snow anyways."
The snow likely inspired a few ski enthusiasts in the area.
About 50 people called Mount Kato, a ski hill near Mankato, to ask about opening day and get season passes, which is more than usual, said John Nelson, general manager. More bought season passes online.
The snow "definitely reminded or prompted them to think about whether they purchased a pass or if they wanted to come out and snowboard or ski," he said. Although the snow on Monday was not enough for them to open sooner than expected — they anticipate opening around Thanksgiving — it did help, Nelson said.
"It's good that we have snow early. … It gets people interested," he said. "But then it also kind of compresses the timeframe that we have to get ready for the season."
Staff writer Katelyn Vue contributed to this report.
