SE Minnesota Travel Conditions Remain Dicey

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - Road conditions are improving, but the State Patrol and local law enforcement agencies remained busy Sunday afternoon responding to crashes and vehicle spinouts on snow-covered and slick highways across southern Minnesota. The State Patrol’s crash tally from Saturday was just over 190 traffic crashes, 155 spinouts, and 6 jackknifed trucks. 18 of the crashes resulted in injuries, but there was only one serious injury and no fatalities.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation's Rochester District deployed it's new tow plow to help clear the snow this weekend and shared this video of the new technology on social media (Twitter).

The latest snowfall totals from the first major snowstorm of the season in this region are in line with the forecasts issued Friday night. The Rochester area saw 7 to 8 inches of heavy, wet, snow with the "official" total at the Rochester Airport listed at 7.4-inches. Many other communities in southeastern Minnesota reported similar snowfall totals, while Hayfield and Owatonna both reported 8.5-inches of accumulation. The south-central Minnesota town of Winnebago was hit with 9-inches of snow, while the highest report came from Sherburne in central Minnesota at 11-inches.

The low-pressure center responsible for the snow will pull colder air into the region this week, but it should also be sunny for at least a few days. The National Weather Service is forecasting highs in the low to mid 20’s at the beginning of the week, and then highs only in the teens by Friday.