MN weather: Snow, gusty winds impact road conditions; no travel advised in northwestern MN

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Light snow, blustery winds and icy surfaces are creating challenging travel conditions in parts of Minnesota on Friday.

Gusty winds, light snow Friday

The backstory:

Periods of light snow are expected on and off throughout the day on Friday, with accumulation in the Twin Cities metro expected to stay under an inch. A winter weather advisory remains in effect for western Minnesota until 6 p.m. due to the blowing snow and gusty winds.

Drivers should prepare for possible slippery roads and changing visibility due to the gusty winds and falling snow.

No travel advised in northwestern, west central MN

Big picture view:

MnDOT closed several highways in northwestern Minnesota due to high winds and blowing snow creating zero visibility, but they have sense reopened. However, a no travel advisory remains in place as of 8 a.m.

The affected roads include:

Highway 1- North Dakota border to Warren
Highway 2- East Grand Forks to Crookston
Highway 9- Crookston to Borup
Highway 11- North Dakota border to Karlstad
Highway 75- Perley to Canadian border
Highway 175- North Dakota border to Hallock
Highway 220 – Climax to Hwy 11

As of 8 a.m., MnDOT advises not to travel on some highways in west central Minnesota due to blowing snow and visibility issues.

The affected roads include:

Highway 75 from Perley to Breckenridge
Highway 210 from Breckenridge to Fergus Falls
Highway 9 from Burop to Breckenridge

The Minnesota State Patrol said troopers have responded to several drivers that have gone off the road Friday morning.

Road conditions in Minnesota

Local perspective:

Drivers in southwestern Minnesota are also facing challenging road conditions with surfaces completely covered in ice. MnDOT warns of black ice and blowing snow in the area.

As of 6:30 a.m., light snow and slush are affecting roads in northern, western, and southern Minnesota. In the Twin Cities metro, conditions are mostly normal, though some ice is reported on Highway 169 and near New Hope and Brooklyn Park.

The latest road conditions can be found here.