Winter arrives with frigid force Area schools close

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- The winter season officially arrived Thursday morning with yet another blast of arctic air and blowing and drifting snow.

Most schools in The Journal area originally decided to to open two hours late. Soon after the sun rose, schools closed for the day as winds gusted up to 40 mph, driving wind chills well below zero.

Visibility was limited in many rural areas.

Brown County Sheriff Larry Pederson advised no travel in Brown County at noon Thursday. County plows were called back to their garages.

"County roads were drifting shut just about as soon as they were plowed," said Brown County Law Enforcement Center dispatcher Carl Rolloff.

Finger drifts were reported on the westbound lane of U.S. Highway 14 between Essig and Sleepy Eye.

The Brown County Sheriff's Department reported several vehicles in the ditch on Highway 14, west of Springfield Thursday afternoon.

The Minnesota Transportation Department (MnDOT) in Windom and Mankato advised no unnecessary travel in the eastern two-thirds of the district which included Brown and Cottonwood counties. The Mankato MnDOT office said state snowplows would be pulled off the roads at dark, when lack of visibility became dangerous.

The National Weather Service predicted very cold weather through Christmas Day.

Today's forecast called for 6-12 mph southeast winds and highs in the single digits above zero.

Forecasts from tonight to next Wednesday were similar. They included a chance of snow, highs between 5 below and 5 above and lows 5-20 below.

Motorists were reminded to take snowplow trucks seriously.

For a safer driving environment, motorists should reduce speed, keep a safe distance and pass MnDOT sanding and salting trucks with caution.

Motorists were advised to start slowing down when they see the flashing lights of a snowplow truck.

The most common and severe type of crash between a snowplow truck and another vehicle is when the other vehicle rear ends the truck because the driver didn't realize how slow the snowplow truck was moving.

Drivers were reminded to not tailgate snowplow trucks and avoid the visual blind spots of snowplow truck drivers.

There are also times when snowplow trucks slow down due to road conditions.

Snowplow trucks may also shift sideways when they hit snow ridges or ice chunks on the road.

Drivers following snowplow trucks too closely may also be sprayed with a sand and salt mix.

They can also get caught in a snow cloud that would cause them to be unable to see the road or any other vehicles.

On two-lane roadways, drivers should never pass snowplow trucks unless they could clearly see the opposing traffic lane ahead.

On four-lane highways, drivers must determine which lane the snowplow truck is working in. There are right lane only and left lane only snowplow trucks.

Watch the direction snow is being thrown.

Pass right lane trucks on the left and left lane trucks on the right.