PHOTOS: West central Minnesota endures whiteout conditions as snow falls throughout the day Tuesday

A Yellow Medicine County plow makes a run on Ninth Avenue in Granite Falls as snow accumulates during the afternoon of Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.

By West Central Tribune staff report

January 03, 2023 04:29 PM

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WILLMAR — Snow fell throughout the day Tuesday, blanketing west central Minnesota in white and snarling travel.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation on Tuesday put several west central Minnesota counties — Chippewa, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Meeker, McLeod, Murray, Redwood, Renville, Pipestone and Yellow Medicine — under no-travel advisories by Tuesday afternoon as snowfall continued to create dangerous whiteout conditions on roads and highways throughout the area.

According to the release, an advisory against traveling means that the roadway has deteriorated and/or visibility has been reduced to the point that it is very dangerous to travel; there are reports of intermittent whiteout conditions; and some weather conditions can be severe enough that road treatments are not effective and conditions can become life-threatening for stranded travelers.

snow 6 - snow plow on First Street — A truck with a snowplow blade begins the process of clearing the parking lot at the Verizon store on First Street South in Willmar on Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 3, 2023.

Snow 5 - car stock — An unidentified driver walks back to his car, which is stuck in a snowbank on Willmar Avenue Southwest near the BNSF Railway crossing in Willmar on Tuesday Jan. 3, 2023.

Photo of snowy street — Snow from the Jan. 3, 2023, snowstorm was at least 6 inches deep in mid-afternoon in this section of Second Avenue Northwest, looking toward Kandiyohi County Road 5 in northwest Willmar.

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Jan. 3, 2023 Snowfall — Snow falls steadily as one looks across the field toward the east face of two apartment complexes in southeast Willmar on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.

010423.N.WCT.BobcatClearingSnow.005.jpg — Several inches of snow cover the parking lot of the Herzog apartment complex off Kandiyohi County Road 5 in Willmar, and more continues to fall during whiteout conditions on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.

010423.N.WCT.BobcatClearingSnow.003.jpg — A worker in a Kubota skid steer clears snow from the parking lot of the Herzog apartment complex off Kandiyohi County Road 5 in Willmar as snow continues to fall on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.

Snow coming down in Litchfield, Minnesota along First Street East. — Heavy snow comes down shortly before 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023, looking west from the 700 block of First Street East in Litchfield, Minnesota.

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Snow falling along First Street East in Litchfield, Minnesota. — Heavy snowfall just before 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023, looking east on the 700 block of First Street East in Litchfield, Minnesota.

Looking east down Walnut Avenue in Olivia Jan. 3, 2023.JPG — The Jan. 3, 2023, winter storm brought several inches of snow to Olivia. The wind also caused blowing snow and drifting. Visibility was reduced on Walnut Avenue in Olivia.

Looking west down Walnut Avenue in Olivia Jan. 3, 2023.JPG — Looking west down Walnut Avenue in Olivia on Tuesday, one couldn't see the much past the end of the road. The Jan. 3, 2023, winter storm brought several inches of snow to the city with the wind causing reduced visibility and drifts.

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Snow blows off roof of Olivia Resorative Therapy and Nursing Jan. 3, 2023.JPG — Clouds of snow blow off the roof of the Olivia Restorative Therapy and Nursing building facing Walnut Avenue on Jan. 3, 2023.

BalconyShot.010323 — A Tuesday snowfall marks a quiet snowy start to the new year for Willmar and the rest of Minnesota on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.

USHwy71.010323 — A look at U.S. Highway 71 from 19th Avenue Southeast in Willmar shows snow-covered streets on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.

Snow 1 - Willmar Avenue.jpg — Snow continues to fall Tuesday afternoon along Willmar Avenue Southwest in Willmar.

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Snow 2 - JOTS snowblower.jpg — A tractor moves snow outside the Jennie-O Turkey Store headquarters in southwest Willmar on Jan. 3, 2023, as snow continues to fall.

A pedestrian follows the plowed path on Prentice Street in Granite Falls at mid-afternoon on Tuesday, Jan. 03, 2023 after over six inches of snow had fallen. — A pedestrian follows the plowed path on Prentice Street in Granite Falls at mid-afternoon on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023, after more than 6 inches of snow had fallen.

A Minnesota Department of Transportation snow plow driver keeps the intersection of Highways 23 and 212 open in Granite Falls as a winter storm blanketed the region on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. — A Minnesota Department of Transportation snowplow driver keeps the intersection of Minnesota Highway 23 and U.S. Highway 212 open in Granite Falls as a winter storm blanketed the region on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.

It was "all hands on deck" situation for keeping up with the heavy snowfall on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023 as a road grader pulls duty to keep U.S. Highway 212 open in Yelow Medicine County. — It was "all hands on deck" situation for keeping up with the heavy snowfall on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023 as a road grader pulls duty to keep U.S. Highway 212 open in Yellow Medicine County.

Snow 4 - Car stuck B71-N.jpg — An unidentified man pushes a car stuck in the snow Tuesday afternoon at an intersection on Business 71 in north Willmar.

SNow 3 - Car in Ditch B71-N.jpg — A car remained stuck after sliding into a ditch Tuesday afternoon along Business 71 in north Willmar.

Let the struggle begin as a resident in Granite Falls begins to clear the snow from his driveway on Jan. 3, 2023. — Let the struggle begin. A resident in Granite Falls begins to clear the snow from his driveway on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023, after a winter storm dumped several inches of the fluffy, heavy substance on the region.

A four wheeler provided this driver the best option for getting around the snow filled streets on Granite Falls on Jan. 3, 2023. — A four-wheeler provided this driver the best option for getting around the snow-filled streets of Granite Falls on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.

By West Central Tribune staff report

Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of "West Central Tribune staff report." Often, the "West Central Tribune staff report" byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.

The West Central Tribune newsroom can be reached via email:
news@wctrib.com or phone 320-235-1150.

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PHOTOS: West central Minnesota endures whiteout conditions as snow falls throughout the day Tuesday

Snowfall began late morning on Tuesday in west central Minnesota, and continued to fall steadily throughout the day, prompting travel advisories for whiteout conditions across southwest Minnesota.