Published: November 18,2016
At least two are dead from fatal crashes after Winter Storm Argos moved across parts of the Intermountain West and toward the Plains. Parts of the region were clobbered by a heavy round of snow – the first of the season, for some.
Minnesota State Patrol told CBS Minnesota that there have been two fatal collisions. Between 10 p.m. Thursday and 10 a.m. Friday, offiers responded to 105 crashes, 93 of which were spinouts.
The snowstorm dumped more than a foot of snow on parts of Wyoming and Montana Thursday before marching eastward into the Plains and Midwest on Friday. Schools were canceled in some parts of the upper Midwest ahead of the storm's arrival, and authorities urged drivers to stay home when the heavy snow started to fall.
"Winter Storm Argos will continue to bring snow and gusty winds to portions of the northern Plains and the upper Midwest through Friday," said weather.com meteorologist Linda Lam. "Blizzard conditions will remain a concern into Friday evening for parts of northeastern South Dakota, southeastern North Dakota and western Minnesota. Rain is expected to change to snow in southeastern Minnesota, including Minneapolis, and snow will push eastward into much of Wisconsin, as well as the Upper Peninsula of Michigan Friday night."
(MORE: Check the Forecast for Winter Storm Argos)
Here's what we know about the impacts of this winter storm.
South Dakota
Roads were in bad shape across the Sioux Falls area Friday morning, and although there were some crashes reported, there were no major pileups, according to the Argus Leader. Still, conditions remained extremely dangerous due to the heavy snow and strong winds.A Brandon Valley school bus crashed into a ditch Friday morning and had to be pulled out by another vehicle, the Leader also reports. At least six children were on the bus and all are reportedly fine. In separate incidents, a car became stuck on a guardrail on I-90 near I-29, and a vehicle hit a fence at Six Mile and Madison.
Northbound I-29 was blocked late Friday morning due to an overturned semitrailer lying across the roadway.
More than 100 schools canceled or delayed classes Friday in response to the poor driving conditions, according to KELO-TV. Those who decided to venture out were advised to be extremely careful.
"You have to make sure you understand that the road conditions have changed, that means driving conditions have changed," South Dakota Department of Public Safety spokesperson Tony Mangan told KELO. "They're still changing throughout the day, so you have to be careful about what you're doing."
No travel is advised on all highways south of I-90 in the southeastern part of the state, as well as on I-29 from Dell Rapids to the Beresford exit, also according to the Leader. Northbound I-29 has been closed from Beresford to Vermillion due to a jackknifed vehicle.
Despite the wintery conditions, city officials say they will not issue a snow alert for this event, KDLT.com reports. Instead of plowing neighborhood streets, snow removal crews will apply a combination of salt and sand on well-traveled streets to speed up the melting process.
(MORE: Yes, There Is a 'Blizzard Alley,' and It's in the Plains)
Minnesota
At least two people have been killed after a foot of snow blew across much of the state, making blizzard conditions possible in southwestern Minnesota. Authorities' concerns that the heavy snow combined with wind speeds of 50 to 60 mph could make travel extremely dangerous were confirmed.A motorcyclist was killed in a crash Friday on I-35 near Forest Lake, according to KARE11. The victim has not yet been identified and there are no details on what triggered the accident. Images from Minnesota Department of Transportation cameras suggest the motorcyclist may have struck a safety rail.
An accident on Highway 59 left one dead, CBS Minnesota reports. The incident included two vehicles and roads were icy at the time.
Poor visibility and road conditions caused a semi truck to crash into a median on Interstate 94 near Freeport Friday, according to Sgt. Jesse Grabow of the Northwestern and West Central Minnesota State Patrol.
I94 mp140 (near Freeport) semi ran off into median. Roads and visibility are poor. #DriveWithCaution
State Patrol Trooper Jesse Grabow told the Daily Journal that low visibility, ice, snow and slush are the main causes for crashes and spinouts on I-94. Around 10:30 a.m. Friday there were 27 crashes without injuries and an additional 34 vehicles off the road.
Dozens of schools canceled classes Friday, according to the Associated Press.
State police told CBS Minnesota that between 10 p.m. Thursday and 10 a.m. Friday officers had responded to 105 crashes, 93 of which were spinouts.
@NWSTwinCities Snow Drifts approaching 3 ft already @ 9am by morris, MN. Power lines jumping like double dutch. Dangerous Blizzard!!
Colorado
The heavy snowfall led to a closure of Interstate 70 in multiple locations Thursday in Colorado, the state's Department of Transportation told ABC 7 in Denver. Numerous crashes were reported, and rules requiring extra traction for vehicles were put in place ahead of the storm, the report added.Icy road conditions may have contributed to the death of a motorist Thursday night, 7NEWS Denver reports. Police believe the driver was headed westbound on Highway 34 Bypass and lost control, sliding off the roadway and into the median before going into the eastbound lanes and colliding with another vehicle. A woman that stopped to help the people involved in the crash was struck by a vehicle as she attempted to cross the highway on foot. She was taken to the hospital and had surgery for multiple injuries.
A 20-car pileup occurred along I-70 in Evergreen and closed the road in both directions indefinitely, according to CBS Denver. It wasn't immediately known if there were any injuries in that collision.
EFR, CSP and Jeffco working a 20 car MVA west bound I-70 at the 248. I-70 closed both directions
A third major pileup occurred earlier in the day in the westbound lanes of I-70, closing the freeway from Georgetown to Silverthorne, KDVR also said.
Snow in the Denver area is also causing problems at Denver International Airport, with delays reported into the evening hours on Thursday. The Denver International Airport's latest statement said the airport is running smoothly despite the storm. However, some flight times may have been impacted or may be delayed as crews work to keep planes free of ice.
United Airlines spokesperson Megan McCarthy told weather.com in a phone interview Thursday night that some United Airlines flights had been delayed due to an equipment issue from one of the company's outside vendors. While some flights will be delayed as the equipment issue is sorted out, she said any delays on Thursday were not due to the winter storm conditions.
Brian Domonkos, supervisor of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Colorado snow survey, told the AP the slow start to the snow season means it's unlikely Colorado's mountains will be able to catch up to season-long averages.
"I wouldn't call it likely, no," he told the AP. "But it's not out of the realm of possibility."
Wyoming
Heavy snowfall forced authorities to close a 50-mile stretch of I-80 between Laramie and Cheyenne Thursday morning. Travel conditions were lousy on most state roads, and officials advised against any travel in central and northern Wyoming that wasn't absolutely necessary, the AP reported.By Friday morning, all major roads were reopened statewide.
Argos comes at a time when the Rockies desperately needs snowfall. In a separate report from the AP, experts worried that a lack of snow this season could cause reservoirs to run low with less snowmelt in the warmer months. Many ski resorts also postponed their openings because of the lack of snow and temperatures that didn't allow for the production of manmade snow, the report added.
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