Law officers warn against travel as big snowstorm hits region
WILLMAR -- Law enforcement officers urge citizens to heed advance weather warnings, get themselves prepared for the storm and then stay off the roadways.
The advanced technology used by meteorologists and days of forecasting the coming weather should have given folks time to prepare, according to Willmar Police Capt. David Wyffels.
People should get out and finish their errands, get some groceries and "just get settled in for an old-fashioned winter storm," Wyffels said Wednesday. "You may miss Christmas, but you can always call the relatives."
With the forecast predicting 20 inches of snow and high winds for west central Minnesota through Friday night and into Saturday, both road conditions and visibility will likely make travel difficult or impossible.
If called upon, Kandiyohi County Sheriff's deputies have four-wheel drive vehicles, snowmobiles and an all-terrain vehicle with tracks to use to reach citizens in need of assistance. However, Sheriff Dan Hartog urges citizens to pay attention to weather reports, if roads are closed and if snowplows are pulled off the roads. "Heed the warnings," he said.
