Dental Implants Near Minneapolis, MN

As of 6 p.m., 5.2 inches had fallen at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport with 6 inches reported at the Chanhassen offices of the National Weather Service as snow tapered off.

The Minnesota Star Tribune

As December snowstorms go, the one that dumped several inches of snow on the metro and much of the southern half of Minnesota on Thursday was fairly average. But the first significant snow of the season was still enough to snarl morning traffic, give some students an unplanned day off school and greatly increase the odds of a white Christmas.

Minneapolis and St. Paul declared snow emergencies with instructions for vehicle owners to revisit their parking plans. The emergencies in both cities go into effect at 9 p.m. Thursday. A winter storm warning remains in effect until midnight with light to moderate snow of up to an inch predicted throughout the metro and portions of central and southeast Minnesota including in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Shakopee, Stillwater, St. Cloud and Red Wing.

As of 6 p.m., 5.2 inches had fallen at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport with 6 inches reported at the Chanhassen offices of the National Weather Service. On Friday, weather predictions show partly sunny weather with temperatures around the mid-teens.

By midmorning Thursday, 4 to 6 inches of snow had fallen in many areas with the State Patrol saying by early morning it had responded to nearly 100 crashes across the state and 28 vehicles that went into the ditch. As of 8:30 p.m., those numbers had jumped to more than 430 crashes with nearly 40 of them causing injuries.

[More: Where to park during a snow emergency in the Twin Cities]

Ice- and snow-covered roads kept commuters crawling even as Taylor Drift, Clearopathra and the rest of the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s named and unnamed plows tried to clear them. Snow falling at about a half-inch to an inch an hour made the job tough, said agency spokeswoman Anne Meyer.

“This will be a long day with long impact,” Meyer said. ”The longer it snows, the longer it will take to clear off the roads.”

Main roads in the metro were mainly wet as of noon. But wind coming behind the snow is expected to blow around what fell, making for dangerous driving conditions that should persist until about midnight, when the winter storm warning expires, the National Weather Service said.

Some suburbs including Plymouth and Robbinsdale have rules that automatically trigger an emergency when 2 or more inches of snow falls. The same is true in Richfield, which has a threshold of 4 inches. The suburb had collected over 5 inches by noon, the Weather Service said.

Brooklyn Park, Bloomington and Osseo also declared snow emergencies.

Transit riders faced delays as buses attempted to make their way Thursday morning. At one time, Metro Transit reported that 60% of buses were running behind schedule. By noon, that figure had dropped to 33% with the average delay at 8 minutes, the agency said.

Light-rail and commuter rail trains ran on time, Metro Transit said.

The snowstorm hit MSP airport as holiday travelers were trying to escape. A brief ground stop was in place Thursday morning, but was short-lived, said spokesman Jeff Lea. Most delays were the result of planes waiting for crews to scrape off runways or for deicing. As of noon, delays seemed minimal, according to the FAA.

By then, more than 85 outbound and 61 inbound flights had been delayed, and four inbound and one outbound flight had been canceled, the airport’s website said.

Brainerd, Fergus Falls, Little Falls and Royalton in greater Minnesota, as well as Stillwater in the metro area, were among districts calling off classes Thursday while scores of others started classes a couple of hours late. Minneapolis Public Schools held classes but called off all after-school activities and online and in-person adult education classes.

The snow trailed off by late afternoon in most places, but gusty winds were expected to blow fallen snow and impact travel late into the night, the Weather Service said.

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Tim Harlow

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Tim Harlow covers traffic and transportation issues in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, and likes to get out of the office, even during rush hour. He also covers the suburbs in northern Hennepin and all of Anoka counties, plus breaking news and weather.

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The Renville, Minn., man was doing maintenance on the semi-trailer truck, authorities said.

After consulting with operational staff and public safety officials, the City of Minneapolis has declared a Snow Emergency beginning today, December 19th at 12pm. City crews have been plowing and treating streets to keep them drivable. Snow Emergency parking rules will take effect beginning at 9 p.m. tonight so crews can continue their work and plow more than 1,000 miles of streets as wide as possible.

Snow Emergency Parking Rules

We aim to provide open, drivable streets by plowing and clearing snow. To do this, we need residents to help us by following snow emergency parking rules. These rules help plows in clearing the streets so emergency vehicles and other traffic can get around and park. Plowing requires vehicles parked on streets to move. It’s in everyone’s best interest to do their part so plows can do the best job possible, and people can avoid a ticket and tow.

Parking rules last for three days after a Snow Emergency is declared:

A map of which streets are Snow Emergency routes can be found on the city’s website.

Sign up now, stay informed throughout the season

Residents, workers and visitors have several ways to learn when Snow Emergencies are declared and what to do when they are. We recommend signing up for at least two types of alerts:

Remember to clear sidewalks and around your garbage carts

Sidewalks are a critical part of our city’s transportation system, and they should be open for everyone. That’s why Minneapolis ordinance requires property owners to clear sidewalks within 24 hours after a snowfall for houses and duplexes, and four daytime hours for all other properties. Failure to shovel your walk could lead to a bill to pay for the cost of crews shoveling it. The City also provides free sand to residents at several locations. After you clear your sidewalks, spreading sand helps to provide traction. It also helps hard-packed snow or ice melt faster. Learn more on the City’s website.

# # #

​A winter weather warning continues to affect a large swath of central and northern Minnesota on Thursday.

Patch Staff

|Updated Thu, Dec 19, 2024 at 8:56 am CT

MINNESOTA — A winter weather warning continues to affect a large swath of central and northern Minnesota on Thursday.

Snow began to spread early Thursday morning and will continue to fall heavily throughout the morning. The snowstorm is expected to dissipate late afternoon and early evening.

"A well-organized winter storm will bring widespread accumulating snow to the region through this evening," the National Weather Service said.

"A band of 5 to 7 inches of snow is expected to fall near and north of a line from Redwood Falls to Red Wing MN to Eau Claire WI, including all of the Twin Cities metro. Lesser snowfall amounts will occur to the south of that line. Strong winds will also cause blowing snow and potentially reduced visibilities, especially across western and southwestern Minnesota."

Find out what's happening in Minneapolisfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

The Minnesota State Patrol reported the following statewide crash numbers from midnight to 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 19:

No fatalities have been reported during this time.

Here are the key things to know on Thursday, according to the NWS:

WHAT: Heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations between 5 and 7 inches.

WHERE: Portions of central, east central, and west central Minnesota.

WHEN: Until midnight CST tonight.

The affected counties include Douglas, Todd, Morrison, Mille Lacs, Kanabec, Stevens, Pope, Stearns, Benton, Sherburne, Isanti, Chisago, Kandiyohi, Meeker, Wright, Hennepin, Anoka, Ramsey, Washington, McLeod, Carver, Scott, and Dakota.

Cities within these counties include St. Paul, Minneapolis, St. Cloud, Willmar, Alexandria, Victoria, Mora, Stillwater, Morris, Cambridge, Long Prairie, Chanhassen, Little Falls, Blaine, Chaska, Shakopee, Glenwood, Elk River, Hutchinson, Litchfield, Princeton, Monticello, Center City, Sauk Rapids, and Hastings.

Here's the full NWS forecast from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport:

Thursday: Snow, mainly before 4pm. The snow could be heavy at times. High near 27. East southeast wind around 15 mph becoming northeast in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible.

Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of snow, mainly before 8pm. Cloudy, with a low around 12. North northwest wind around 15 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 17. North northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 6. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 19. Light east wind becoming southeast 5 to 10 mph in the morning.

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a steady temperature around 16. Southeast wind around 10 mph.

Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 28. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph.

Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of snow after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24. South southeast wind 10 to 15 mph.

Monday: A 40 percent chance of snow, mainly before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 34. South southeast wind around 10 mph becoming northeast in the afternoon.

Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 26. North northeast wind around 5 mph becoming west southwest after midnight.

Tuesday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 34. South wind around 5 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 26. South southeast wind around 5 mph.

Christmas Day: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 36. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

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MN State Patrol safety tips for winter driving

Minnesota State Patrol Sgt. Jesse Grabow shares safety tips for drivers and explains the road conditions during Thursday’s snowstorm.

The Brief

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - It's the largest snowfall of the season so far in the Twin Cities, and the snow is making for tricky driving conditions across the metro on Thursday.

A winter storm warning is in effect Thursday, with widespread 3-6 inches of snow accumulations possible along or near the Interstate 94 corridor by the time everything is done.

Dig Deeper:

Minnesota road conditions: Spinouts, crashes and backups

What we know: Snow fell through the morning commute, which made travel a bit difficult. Remember to drive with caution and give yourself extra travel time as crews work to clear the roadways.

It was slow-going on Minnesota roadways, with average speeds around 20 to 30 mph for much of the morning. Slippery road conditions took some drivers by surprise, while some roads were snow covered, so it was difficult to see where the lanes were.

According to the Minnesota State Patrol, from midnight to 8:30 a.m., there were 91 property damage crashes, nine injury crashes, 28 vehicles off the road, four spinouts and five jackknifed semi-trucks on Minnesota roads.

READ MORE: School bus slides into Brooklyn Center ditch, no injuries

The Minnesota Department of Transportation's website lists most roads in the Twin Cities being normal driving conditions. Here's a map of road conditions as of 7:30 p.m. Thursday:

MSP Airport: Delays due to snow, ice

What we know: A ground stop has been lifted after being issued at MSP Airport until 10:15 a.m., with FAA now saying there is just a departure delay with an average of 30 minutes.

This comes after a ground delay was issued due to snow and ice, according to the FAA's website. The ground delay was in effect until at 9:59 a.m. A ground stop was previously issued for the airport, but expired at 7:30 a.m.

During the ground delay Thursday morning, the FAA's website said departures at the airport are delayed an average of 62 minutes.

According to MSP Airport's website, one departure has been canceled, and 39 departures have been delayed as of10:19 a.m. Meanwhile, four arrivals have been canceled and 36 have been delayed.

Rochester International Airport in southern Minnesota was closed Thursday morning, but reopened at 7:30 a.m.

What to expect with Thursday's snow

Timeline: Here's what to expect with Thursday's snow across the Twin Cities:

Snow accumulations are forecast to be in the 3-6 inch range around the Interstate 94 corridor. Farther south and north of the corridor will see snow totals in the 1- to 3- inch range.

Here's the snow potential map:

The high on Thursday will be around 26 degrees in the Twin Cities, but then it turns colder. The high on Friday will be in the teens, but it will feel more like single-digits.

Snow totals in Minnesota

By the numbers: Thursday's snow is officially the largest snow of the season for the Twin Cities (we haven't gotten more than an inch in a single storm yet this season).

Here are the snow totals so far (note: It is still actively snowing, so snow totals are likely higher than what is listed below. These numbers will be updated):

Track the snow in Minnesota

What you can do: To get the latest updates and track the snowy weather, you can download the FOX 9 Weather app.

The U.S. Department of Labor found the Argentine pizza and empanada restaurant committed several violations across its four locations, including depriving workers of overtime pay and tips, illegally firing an employee and allowing a 15-year-old to work beyond permitted hours.

The Minnesota Star Tribune

Argentine empanada and pizza restaurant Boludo will fork up roughly $106,000 in back wages, damages and penalties after a U.S. Department of Labor investigation found several violations across the eatery’s four Minneapolis locations.

The federal agency found Boludo illegally fired an employee who cooperated with investigators, deprived workers of overtime pay, withheld tips and violated child labor regulations by allowing a 15-year-old to work beyond permitted hours, a department spokeswoman said.

Facundo DeFraia, the restaurants’ co-owner, said in a statement he’s “deeply sorry for what happened and take[s] full responsibility for” his actions.

“I have made many mistakes in the past, but the important thing is to learn from them, correct them and keep growing,” DeFraia said. “In recent years, together with my business partner Jerad Rasmussen and with the help of the DOL, we have worked hard to resolve the situation.”

The release said the local restaurant chain terminated a worker at its “Uptown restaurant after they spoke with investigators.” It also allowed at least four workers to use different names and identification numbers to clock in and avoid overtime pay and paid two employees normal pay “instead of time and one-half their regular rate of pay as required,” the release said.

Additionally, the restaurants’ tip pools wrongfully included managers and shift supervisors, and the restaurants also failed to distribute tips to workers or provide records for those distributions.

The chain owes $44,915 in back wages withheld from 51 employees, $89,830 in damages and $15,954 in penalties, a department news release said. The business has not paid the amount owed in full yet, the agency spokeswoman said.

Kristin Tout, the agency’s wage and hour division district director for Minneapolis, said in a statement: “Retaliating against workers who engage in protected activities, such as cooperating with a federal investigation, is a blatant violation of the law that we will not tolerate. The Department of Labor remains firmly committed to protecting workers against retaliation and ensuring they are paid fully for their hours worked.”

The investigation is part of the agency’s initiative to study Midwest employers’ common food service industry violations, the release said.

Boludo opened its first location in the Kingfield neighborhood of south Minneapolis in 2018, eventually expanding to a location in downtown Minneapolis near U.S. Bank Stadium as well as the Como and Uptown areas. DeFraia, an Argentina native, originally came to Minneapolis to help his longtime friend and fellow chef Daniel del Prado open his restaurant Martina.