Bigger storm coming Friday after first major snowfall

Dec. 8—MANKATO — The 3-5 inches of snow that accumulated across south-central Minnesota Tuesday will give way to warmer weather until Friday. Then a "major winter storm" is likely to hit Greater Mankato, bringing with it up to half a foot of snow.

More snow fell Tuesday than expected because it was "dry, fluffy snow" with a snow-to-liquid ratio twice as high as that of an average storm, said Brent Hewett, a forecaster at the National Weather Service in the Twin Cities.

In Mankato, 3.5 inches of snow had fallen as of a 2 p.m. report. Three inches fell in Waseca. In Henderson, 5.3 inches were recorded.

The arctic air mass that brought single-digit temperatures Monday helped to create about an inch more precipitation than forecast upon blending with warmer air moving into the state's southern region, Hewett said.

And Mankato is in the "sweet spot" for what will likely be a major snowstorm across south-central Minnesota all day Friday, he added, though Thursday's high temperature will exceed 40 degrees.

Snow is forecast to begin falling around 9-10 a.m. Friday and continue accumulating until the evening. Hewett said confidence is "medium high" for 4-plus inches of snow but some guidance says 6-plus inches could fall. The high temperature is expected to be about 30, and winds aren't to exceed 20 mph.

The first day of major snowfall was accompanied by multiple crashes and spin-outs on Highway 14 near its intersection with Highway 169. Throughout the morning all highways leading out of Mankato were covered with at least light snow and had visibility of half a mile or less, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation's website 511mn.org.

Two accidents occurred in snowy, icy conditions on Highway 14 after 11 a.m. within a half hour of each other, the State Patrol reported.

A westbound semi and Dodge Durango collided at 11:06, followed by a man driving a Ford F150 who lost control of his vehicle and hit the median guardrail just after 11:30. The woman driving the Durango and the man in the F150 were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries; the semi driver wasn't injured.

"The problem with 14 is it's our most busy highway; it's got the highest traffic counts in our district," said Troy DeSantiago, the MnDOT maintenance superintendent for District 7.

Temperatures below 20 degrees for most of the day led to refreezing and prolonged dangerous road conditions, he said. The materials MnDOT employees use to combat ice are less effective in frigid weather.

Snowplow drivers are set to be on the roads for up to 20 hours Friday, he said. But danger remains present when some drivers adjust to the conditions — moving more slowly and allowing more room to stop — and others persist with faster driving.

His reminders: Bridges freeze more quickly because open air is beneath them. Ramps seem to refreeze more quickly than main roads. Turn off cruise control and turn on headlights, no matter the time of day, when visibility is poor.

"Usually the first few snows," DeSantiago said, chuckling, "it's like the people need to be retrained on how to drive in snow, adapt to it."

Some must brave snow

Before his 1 p.m. final exam, Manato Takimoto — "Mankato without the 'k,'" the Minnesota State University junior from Japan has learned to tell people — was camped by the fireplace in the Centennial Student Union for about three hours Tuesday morning.

The transfer student attended his first two years of college in California but transferred to MSU this fall to pursue an aviation degree.

His eyes widened when he stepped outside just before 9 a.m. Tuesday for a five-minute walk to campus.

"'Wow, oh my God,'" he recalled thinking. "I never had snow in my country, at my place. ... I don't like snow. It's really bad."

But he was delighted to find the fireplace emitting real flames and not merely heat, something he didn't expect. Usually he studies in the library, but the snow led him to seek a cozier refuge.

Though campus is increasingly quiet as final exams are finished, Takimoto will remain in Mankato over winter break to log flight hours as part of his degree program. Monday night he flew from Mankato to Rochester, down to Mason City, Iowa, and then back to Mankato.

Never before has he flown in snow, he said, glancing at large flakes falling outside of a student union window, but this week might be his first time.

"My instructor told me that you can see less ground reference than in the summer because most of the ground is just white," he said.

Takimoto wore a sweatshirt over a shirt, and on the table in front of him were a red windbreaker and a winter coat. His shoes, however, were white Nike sneakers.

Minnesota native Carter Nelson, meanwhile, made his five-minute walk from a residence hall to the Otto Recreation Center wearing shorts.

"Because I'm going to work out, I figured I'd wear shorts here and tough it out on the way there," the freshman from St. Charles said, snowflakes speckling his hair. He paired the shorts with a light North Face windbreaker.