Winter Storm Delphi State-by-State: 3 Killed on Snowy Roads

Sean Breslin
Published: December 2,2015

Winter Storm Delphi lingered over the Midwest into Wednesday after two days of heavy snowfall that coated roadways and was blamed on at least two deaths.
The snowstorm dumped a foot of snow in the High Plains before moving east, and it is expected to bring additional winter weather to parts of Illinois and Wisconsin on Wednesday. As a result, many schools were closed in the High Plains and Upper Midwest.
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Here's how Delphi has impacted each state in its path.

Illinois

The City of Chicago announced some 210 snow plows would be in service Wednesday morning to help keep roads clear during rush hour, and urged caution from all drivers.
More than 3 inches of snow had fallen in some areas by 6 a.m. local time Wednesday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

Iowa

Road conditions were poor Monday and Tuesday in some parts of the Hawkeye State, which led to several accidents in western Iowa.

As of Tuesday morning, the town of Hull reported 9 inches of snow from Delphi, one of the highest totals in the first 24 hours of the storm, according to the NWS. Sioux City set a daily snowfall record Monday with 6.6 inches of new snow, the NWS also reported.
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The heavy snow kept crews busy across northwestern parts of the state on Monday, as plows worked to keep roads drivable.
“By the time they got one lane cleared and came back on the other lane, the snow had already covered the other lane,” Plymouth County engineer Tom Rohe told Radio Iowa. “It was just a constant thing and they just continued to run their route to try to keep it cleared off and to keep it to a minimal level so people could keep moving the best they can.”
Rohe also said the county's 14 snow plows worked constantly on Monday to keep 365 miles of roadway clear, but due to the rapidly changing conditions as Delphi arrived, several types of road treatment were rendered useless.

Minnesota

Two people have been killed on snow-covered Minnesota roads during Winter Storm Delphi, The Weather Channel has confirmed. The deaths were confirmed from separate accidents by the Minnesota State Patrol.
One of the fatal crashes occurred Monday night on Highway 42 south of Elgin, killing 51-year-old Brian Mueske, KTTC.com confirmed. Mueske lost control of his Saturn SL and crossed the center line, striking a Ford Escape driven by 53-year-old Kathleen Nault. She suffered minor injuries but was hospitalized after the collision, KTTC.com also said.
In Eden Prairie, just before 8:30 p.m. local time Monday night, 66-year-old Ruth Ann Seurer was killed in a two-car accident, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. She was a passenger in a car driven by her husband, Leroy, when the car collided with a pickup truck. One person was injured in the accident, but police have not said if it was Seurer's husband or the other driver, the report added.
(PHOTOS: Images of Winter Storm Delphi)
In all, the MSP reported nearly 400 crashes and spinouts on state roads from midnight to 9 p.m. Monday, KSTP.com said.
More than 250 crashes and spinouts were reported in the Twin Cities Monday morning alone, the state highway patrol reported to the Associated Press. More snow is expected in some areas Tuesday, meaning travel woes could continue.
"If people don't need to be traveling, they shouldn't be," NWS-Sioux Falls meteorologist Todd Heitkamp told the AP. "Let the road crews do their jobs."
A snow emergency was issued for the town of Bloomington, preventing cars from being parked on the side of roadways until crews could plow the entire street.
Many school districts planned to open on a delay Tuesday morning, while others will be closed all day. KSTP.com has a complete list of all affected districts.

Nebraska

Travel issues were reported in some parts of the Cornhusker State on Monday. As much as a foot of snow fell in some areas, prompting school closures.
Tuesday morning, the Nebraska Department of Roads told Omaha.com that roads in southern parts of the state were either wet or normal, while northern highways were snow-covered.
34 accidents were reported from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Monday morning in Douglas County, putting a temporary strain on Omaha police, according to KETV News in Omaha.
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Due to the storm, the town of La Vista announced its holiday tree lighting ceremony will be postponed until Thursday, Omaha.com reported.
An area 30 miles south of Valentine reported 12 inches of snow to the NWS, the highest snow total from Delphi through Wednesday morning.

North Dakota

Delphi brought as much as a half-foot of new snow to North Dakota, which hindered travel on Tuesday in some areas.
Several inches of snow fell in Bismarck, Fargo and Grand Forks on Tuesday, making roads treacherous in the bigger cities. But it was an area near Hull in south-central North Dakota that reported the state's biggest snowfall total from Delphi – 6 inches.
"Here in Bismarck, it's awful slippery," North Dakota Highway Patrol spokesman Tom Iverson told the AP. "Traffic is moving slow, which is good."

South Dakota

A three-vehicle collision near Mandaree caused the death of one man and injured another, according to the North Dakota Highway Patrol.
Snowfall accumulated on roads Monday morning, causing travel problems in eastern parts of the state. The winter storm led to dozens of school closures in the Mount Rushmore State for the day, according to the AP.
Sioux Falls received 8.7 inches of new snow from Delphi on Monday, breaking the 61-year-old record of 7.6 inches for the date, the NWS confirmed. Police reported more than 70 crashes by midday Monday in Sioux Falls alone, according to the Mitchell Daily Republic.
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Delphi's snow comes just days after Winter Storm Bella dumped as much as a foot and a half of snow on parts of southeastern South Dakota.
“Obviously, with the snow we had over here a week ago Friday, this is a pretty significant one-two punch start of winter here in November,” NWS-Sioux Falls observing program leader Brad Adams told the Mitchell Daily Republic.
Roads remained troublesome on Tuesday, and officials warned drivers to remain patient and careful. Wind could also add to the danger on Tuesday, Department of Public Safety spokesperson Tony Mangan told KELO-TV.
The Mitchell School District will remain closed Tuesday, the Mitchell Daily Republic said in a separate report.
Due to Delphi's impacts, the University of Sioux Falls was forced to postpone a men's basketball game against Southwest Minnesota State that was scheduled for Tuesday night, the AP said.
In Aberdeen, a women's basketball game at Northern State University was canceled Monday night, and the men's game was rescheduled for an hour earlier, the AP also reported.