Minnesota Snow Storm Update: Hundreds of Crashes, Underwhelming Snow for Some

Undated (KROC-AM News)-  A winter storm that brought more than half of a foot of snow to some locations in Minnesota Saturday has left the state.

See Also: Multi-Car Pileup Caught on Camera in Minneapolis Tunnel 

Earlier last week, forecasters issued a Winter Storm Watch for snow-starved southeastern Minnesota. As the weather system approached, officials downgraded the watch to a Winter Weather Advisory in the southeastern corner of the state. 

Travel across much of Minnesota was difficult during the snowfall, as emergency responders were dispatched to hundreds of crashes over a period of less than 20 hours across the state.

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Underwhelming Snowfall in Rochester, MN Area, High Snowfall Totals Reported in Twin Cities

The result was underwhelming snow totals in the Rochester area. 1.8 inches was the highest amount of snow measured in Rochester and 1.4 inches was reported in Austin, according to the National Weather Service. 

Snow totals skewed slightly higher in the Mississippi River Valley. Two inches were reported in Winona and 2.5 inches of snow fell in Lake City. 

The heaviest snowfall totals were reported in the northern Twin Cities Suburbs. Eight inches measured in Andover was the highest total reported to the National Weather Service. 

3.3 inches of snow fell at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. 

Hundreds of Crashes Lead More Than A Dozen Injuries During Minnesota Snowfall Saturday

The snowfall still made for hazardous travel across the state. The State Patrol reported 267 property damage crashes statewide between midnight and 7:45 p.m. Saturday. 

21 of the crashes involved an injury, including a crash near Austin that resulted in a toddler and infant being sent to a hospital and an two-vehicle accident on Hwy. 14 in Dodge County that sent an Owatonna woman to the hospital. 

No fatalities were reported. First responders across the state responded to 142 vehicles off the road, 30 spinouts and a jack-knifed semi truck during the Saturday snowfall, the State Patrol says.