West Central Minn. road conditions are difficult, State Patrol tallying crashes

WILLMAR — Road conditions in west central Minnesota are currently rated as difficult, with blowing and drifting snow and icy conditions.

So far today, troopers from the Minnesota State Patrol have responded to 11 crashes, including four rollovers and one non-life threatening injury and 14 reports of vehicles off the roadway in west central and northwestern Minnesota, according to a Twitter post by Patrol Sgt. Jesse Grabow.

Yesterday’s tally from the State Patrol, for the west central and northwest portions of the state, included 31 crashes, 18 rollovers and three non-life threatening injuries, two jack-knifed semis and 36 reports of vehicles off the roadway.

According to the National Weather Service, the highest snow totals from the winter storm are south of the Twin Cities metro area, with Montgomery, Lonsdale and Lakeville each reporting 8.5 inches.

Eight inches of snow was reported by 6 a.m. at Kimball in Stearns County. Darwin and St. Cloud measured just over 7 inches. Weather watchers in Bird Island reported 3.3 inches and 3 inches was reported in Montevideo.

The weather service forecast for Willmar indicates that snow is likely to continue until 3 p.m. with a high temperature around 30 degrees, north winds around 15 mph and a total daytime accumulation of 1 to 3 more inches of snow.

The winter storm warning continues until noon today. Total snow accumulations are expected to be 4 to 7 inches by later this morning.