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Shifting storms presents shoveling conundrum
A spring storm spanning into this week has produced several inches of snow and Minnesota communities wondering whether they should be digging out the snow shovels, or hoping it will melt.
(FOX 9) - To clean or not to clean? That was the question Monday for people in every Minnesota hamlet. A lot of shovels and snowblowers came out, but there’s a method to the madness for folks who looked at the forecast and had second thoughts.
The job was a lot heavier than usual and some people hoped warmer rain would do the job for them.
Plows had some work to do Monday morning, but they got an assist from warmer temperatures and rain as they cleared the roads.
The tougher job after more than 8 inches of snow fell from Sunday into Monday might’ve been clearing the snow you could see from your living room.
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Twin Cities road conditions following snowstorm
Roads conditions throughout the Twin Cities were slick early Monday following a snowstorm that dropped several inches of accumulation that hasn’t been seen much this winter. FOX 9’s Babs Santos provides a live look as city crews prepare for another morning storm on Tuesday.
"When I looked out here this morning, I saw a lot of snow," said Kristin Hahn of St. Louis Park. "I wished it would disappear. I thought maybe it will, but I knew it wouldn't."
"I was hoping actually my neighbor would use their snowblower or my husband would get out before me," joked Jessica Rhodes.
Women saved the day in St. Louis Park Monday morning, clearing driveways and sidewalks and doorsteps. We talked to some men who left the snow piles, counting on warmer temperatures and rain to wash away the work.
But the ladies dove right in and did the heavy lifting.
"It was really heavy," said Rhodes. "Yeah, I had to practice using my legs and, but I still felt it."
They call it heart attack snow, partly because it's just so heavy. How heavy? We weighed a single shovelful at almost 12 pounds.
"It was heavy," said Hahn. "I'm in pain now. But, I knew I needed to come out and do it because I know it's going to rain more. And my fear was it would ice over and just be a sheet of ice."
With temperatures expected to dip below freezing again Tuesday morning, her fear could become reality.
But that’s a concern and a challenge for a different day.