Crews race to prepare for freezing cold after Monday snowfall
Highways were snowy and slick Monday morning after a couple of inches of snow dropped on the Twin Cities area.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Jesus Lopez, a Southern California native, has no idea what he is in for this week in his first trip to Minneapolis for an insurance seminar.
Lopez said he did not see the weather forecast and said he usually wears a turtleneck when it drops to 70 degrees back home.
Lopez was in a conference all morning Monday, but for the rest of Minnesota, they were struggling to start their work week.
Snow moved in just in time for Monday’s commute and traffic was slow with plenty of spinouts (305), crashes (277) and injuries as a result (44). 11 semis jacknifed as well, according to numbers from the Minnesota State Patrol.
Once the snow stopped, snow plow operators statewide made a mad dash to clear the roadways and parking lots before a forecasted plummeting in temperatures this week.
“We’re trying to hurry up and get this done as fast as we can,” said Nick Puffer, a snowplow operator. “Then salt, get it all broken up. We’ve got to come back later on anyway. We’re getting ready for that.”
In Hennepin County, 64 plows were out all day being strategic about how much material to put onto roads. Some of the materials stop working when temperatures dip into single digits, so between the cold and wind, it can backfire.
"We started out warm, so we started putting material down and whenever you get that quick temperature drop and then the wind picks up, it wants to throw everything back on and re-freeze it, so it can be really difficult," said Andy Kraemer, road operations manager for Hennepin County.
People broke out the yak tracks and their heavy coats Monday while outdoor workers in the cities and suburbs prepped for the winter’s first truly dangerous cold snap.
Doctors at HCMC urged everyone to be prepared for the early-season elements and a potential extended emergency-type situation like a broken down vehicle.
“People may be caught unaware when coming off a 35-degree, relatively balmy Minnesota day and then two days later it’s minus 16. I am a little worried about that to be honest with you,” said Dr. Ryan Fey, of Hennepin Healthcare.