MINNEAPOLIS — Plow operators, energy crews and business owners across Minnesota are preparing for Sunday's snowfall, which is shaping up to become the most significant event of the winter to date.
On the roads, MNDOT spokesperson Anne Meyer said the agency is preaching flexibility and will be watching closely for when the snow turns to rain. MNDOT will have drivers working 12-hour shifts statewide, operating a total of 800 plows.
All of those plows are equipped with real-time technology to monitor road temperatures, air temperatures, precipitation and forecast models.
"This is a bit of a tricky storm," Meyer said. "If we see that changeover... in the day, that helps us out better than overnight because we might be dealing with icing. So, lots to watch, lots to pay attention to."
At the airport, an MSP spokesperson says "Our full resources are being activated and will be on site until after the storm has passed." That includes having 180 pieces of special equipment and vehicles and roughly 320 personnel to help remove snow and clear the runways.
Meanwhile, Xcel Energy also has crews on standby in the event of any power outages, with an emphasis placed first on the larger outages. Xcel manages 155,000 lines across the state of Minnesota.
Regional Vice President John Marshall said the timing of the snow in late March doesn't change Xcel's strategy necessarily. However, the possibility of heavy snow could complicate the response.
"The heavier snow causes a couple of unique things for our system. It's heavy and it weighs down on the trees which can snap the branches and cause some outages in that way," Marshall said. "You do get some slicker roads as well, so you get some car-versus-pole which can happen sporadically around the state."
The looming snow event has also left hardware stores scrambling to place winter items back on display.
At Hamel Building Center, Jim Herbert put some shovels at the front of the store -- among the spring garden section.
But, it's different when a storm hits in late March compared to, say, early November.
"Everyone knows it's going to melt, right? So, it's totally different," Herbert said. "This is one of the weirdest winters... hopefully we don't have a summer that's winter!"
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