SAINT PAUL, Minn. — After keeping a close eye on the weather conditions at the Minnesota National Guard's joint operations center this week, Major Jeffrey Houglum will rest easy Thursday night.
The Guard ended its state active-duty response at 4 p.m. after a busy but manageable few days monitoring the large snowstorm that swept through the Upper Midwest. Although State Patrol and local law enforcement agencies responded to dozens of crashes and spin-outs, they did not end up requesting the National Guard for assistance on any missions.
"The weather has been a little less severe than predicted, and the messaging through the Department of Transportation and other local resources I think has been effective," said Major Houglum, the chief of current operations. "There just has been a lot less people on the roads."
There were a few factors helping the situation. First, the storm hit mid-week with a lot of advanced notice, and secondly, the option of remote work kept at least a portion of the workforce off the roads during busy rush hour periods.
Compare that to the storm that hit in late December 2022, just before Christmas, when the National Guard rescued 19 stranded drivers across the state.
"I believe the Christmas travel push kept people on the roads even in adverse conditions. [This time] I think the messaging of the severity of the storm, and the constant messaging, allowed people to really just stay home," Houglum said, "and stay off the roads if they didn't need to be there."
The Guard was ready, of course, with 17 Small Unit Support Vehicles (SUSV) stationed around the state. They staged these vehicles strategically, with a focus on flatter parts of western and southern Minnesota that tend to see more blowing snow and whiteout conditions. In winter's past, Houglum said communities like Olivia, Luverne, Albert Lea, and Owatonna have emerged as problem spots due to their terrain.
Ultimately, the weather did not require the Guard to conduct rescue missions. But, keep in mind, this snow will melt -- and flooding could soon become a concern.
Houglum said they'll keep an eye on river levels in the coming months, in the event of any springtime flooding.
Just another day at the office for the Minnesota National Guard, which has responded over the past three years to not only severe weather but also COVID and civil unrest.
"It's very rewarding. One of the strengths of the guard," Houglum said, "is that we live here, work here, and we serve here."
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