WILLMAR -- Winter weather is here.
Todd Krause, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Chanhassen, said that the Willmar area is going to get between two to four inches of snow today and into the night.
"But then the main story is going to be the fierce wind that kicks up on Tuesday evening," he said. "There's going to be quite likely white-out conditions with near zero visibility -- blizzard like conditions."
Krause said the temperatures are expected to dip into the teens, and could possibly be as low as 10 degrees on Wednesday night and into Thursday.
The winter weather means its time to re-acclimate yourself with winter driving, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
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"It's time for drivers to shift into 'winter' gear," says Kathy Swanson, director of the Office of Traffic Safety. "Motorists need to be accountable for their driving behavior to avoid tragedy -- slow down and buckle up."
Icy road conditions contributed to nearly 60 deaths and more than 4,500 injuries in 2004, according to the DPS.
They say people need to remember to always wear seatbelts; give yourself plenty of travel time; and always clear snow and ice from your vehicle's windows, hood, headlights, brake lights and turn signals. They also say that drivers should slow down to adapt to road conditions, keep more distance between vehicles for stopping purposes and use headlights when it is snowing or sleeting.
