MINNEAPOLIS — Winter is roaring back in Minnesota, so we set out to answer some of the most commonly asked weather questions this week.
Regarding roads and snow:
Q: “Were city snow removal crews already shifting to spring work before this week?”
A: “This time of year we are already transitioning to spring. We do start to think about taking some of the sanders and plows off our equipment. Fortunately, we have most of our equipment ready for snow removal,” Minneapolis Director of Transportation Maintenance and Repair Joe Paumen says.
Q: “What kind of impact might drivers see on the roads this week?”
A: “With the warmer temperatures we will see some thawing and re-freezing which can create some black ice and slippery situations on intersections and hills. We could see some accumulation on neighborhood streets,” Paumen says.
Q: “Is there a chance the cities could move to odd-even parking later this week?
A: “We could see a snow emergency if we approach that 4-inch threshold,” Paumen says.
Q: “Will the roads clear up quickly or could this snow stick around for a few days?”
A: "We do see melting even with temperatures below freezing. We do see the salt work pretty well this time of year. We’ve all gotten used to the higher temperatures and I think we’ve all enjoyed that. I think now is a good time to remind everyone that if we do see a winter storm, to slow down and be patient for our maintenance folks,” Paumen says.
Regarding Snow and How Long it Could Stick Around:
Q: “When could we see some snow?”
A: “We could see snow on Thursday and potentially Sunday. On Thursday, I’m calling it a few inches possible. Definitely shovels, plowable snow,” KARE-11 Meteorologist John Zeigler says.
Q: “What are the odds that we’ll actually see some snow?”
A: “Good. A good chance. Tuesday morning I had a graphic that brought it up from decent chance to likely. So, I would say 70 or 80 percent chance already,” Zeigler says.
Q: “How long could this snow stick around?”
A: “March snow never sticks around. Even when it’s cold the sun is so much stronger this time of year. It will just melt. Even if it’s 20 degrees you’re going to lose it fast. Probably a couple of days. Even a big snow storm is not going to last that long,” Zeigler says.
Q: “Could we see even more snow after this week?”
A: “We’re going to have a lot of chances for snow. I don’t know if it’s going to hit us, but we will have chances of getting snow over the next three weeks.”
Q: “How common is snow in March?”
A: “Some of our biggest snowfalls of all time fall in the last week of March even early April. It’s not uncommon to get ten plus inches. We average over 8 inches of snow in March alone and right now we have zero, so we have some catching up to do to be average this year,” Zeigler says.
Regarding Winter Activities:
Q: “Will the snow affect golf courses that opened early this year?”
A: According to the Minneapolis Park and Rec Board, they have two golf courses open currently. They expect that the snow will close both of those courses later this week and those courses will not reopen until the grass is dry enough for people to walk on.
Q: “How will the snow affect cross country ski trails?”
A: Both the Minneapolis Park and Rec Board and the Three Rivers Park District say their cross country ski trails have been closed for several days. They don’t expect to reopen their trails after this upcoming snow event.
Q: “How will the snow affect local ski hills?
A: According to their website, Welch Village closed for the season on March 17th.
Afton Alps is currently closed, but managers say if they get enough snow this week they're hoping to reopen this weekend.
Managers at Buck Hill are also hoping to extend the ski season. Right now their final day is Saturday March 23rd, but they're hoping to extend the season through the end of the month if they see enough snow.
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