Jan Wesner Childs
The governor of Minnesota signed an emergency order to activate the National Guard, schools are closed, flights delayed and residents being told to prepare to hunker down at home for several days as a major winter storm moves into parts of the northern U.S.
Parts of South Dakota, North Dakota and Wisconsin could also see blizzard conditions, and travel could be treacherous across the region.
Snowfall totals could reach more than 18 inches in metro Minneapolis-St. Paul.
“There’s nothing normal about the snow we’re expecting," St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said in a Tuesday afternoon news conference.
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Thousands of spaces in parking lots are open for free use in both cities to encourage residents to move their vehicles off city streets to make room for snow plows and emergency vehicles.
The volume of the snow combined with the weight could means "it could take us a while to plow out," Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey told The Weather Channel in an interview Tuesday evening.
He said people should stay home if possible.
Road conditions were already starting to deteriorate Tuesday night, and the National Weather Service is warning of life-threatening travel conditions Wednesday and Thursday.
"This is not the time to tempt fate. Think twice before you drive." Col. Matt Langer of the Minnesota State Patrol said during a news conference, according to the Star-Tribune.
Video from a snow plow cam showed a highway covered in snow near Glencoe, west of the twin cities.
Students at public schools in St. Paul will move to e-learning Wednesday and Thursday, but get a more traditional snow day on Friday with no classes at all.
Minneapolis Public Schools will have classes online all three days, and several other districts also announced remote learning plans.
(MORE: How To Protect Your Family From Carbon Monoxide Poisoning As Temperatures Plummet)
The University of Minnesota announced reduced operations from 2 p.m. central time Wednesday through 10 p.m. Thursday. Only essential employees should report to work.
Dozens of flights were canceled for Wednesday at airports in Minneapolis, Denver and Salt Lake City. Airlines including Delta and Southwest are waiving change fees at several airports in the path of the storm.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
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