Roads slowly reopen in southwestern Minnesota after blizzard conditions
Road conditions on northbound I-35 near milepost 27.9 on December 24 (MnDOT)
(FOX 9) - The main state highways in southern Minnesota are slowly starting to reopen Saturday after closing due to blizzard conditions, but travel remains dangerous with blowing snow and black ice.
Several highways shut down Friday with a no travel advisory issued for numerous counties due to near whiteout conditions making travel difficult or impossible. Some counties, including Blue Earth, Pope, Wilkin and Kandiyohi, even pulled plows from the roads due to low visibility.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) said opening the roads has been slow Saturday as large snowdrifts, blowing snow, and stalled vehicles needed to be cleared from the highways.
As snowplow crews work to clear the roads, some highways are reopening ahead of holiday travel. I-35 south of Albert Lea opened again at 11 a.m. on Saturday. The no travel advisories will also be lifted on several highways across southcentral and southwest Minnesota, but some will remain closed until the drifts are cleared.
Getting to the main roads poses another roadblock as several secondary roads are drifted shut by snow and could be impassible until cleared. The Pope County Sheriff’s Office said on Facebook some snow drifts are "waist-high" and cover the width of the road.
Conditions will remain dangerous on Saturday from cold temperatures, black ice, and limited visibility due to blowing snow. If you're heading out on the road, drive with caution and leave plenty of space in front of the person ahead of you.
Several highways and roads still remain closed due to poor conditions. Check http://511mn.org for the lasted information on traffic, road conditions and closures.