All things considered, the afternoon commute in the Twin Cities metro on Tuesday wasn't bad.
It was just a little wet.
"Our road temperatures are staying in line with our air temperatures," Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) spokesperson Anne Meyer. "Right now, it is above freezing. That's why you're not seeing this rain instantly freezing to roadways."
Due to the rain, MnDOT could not pre-treat ramps, bridges or overpasses, since the rain would simply wash the product off the roadways before it could do any good. However, MnDOT will be watching temperatures overnight to see if they fall below freezing, which could cause problems for drivers in the morning.
As for the rest of the state, it's a mixed bag. Snow pounded parts of western Minnesota on Tuesday, including I-94 near Moorhead, where State Patrol tweeted video of a driver stuck in a ditch. Duluth could see up to a foot or two of snow starting overnight and extending the next few days. In the Twin Cities, slush is expected overnight, before accumulation begins Thursday.
"That variety of precipitation does become challenging," Meyer said. "You really have to keep adjusting as you go. Certainly, wherever it's snowing, we've got crews out there right now, pushing snow, and putting down material to really clear it off."
MnDOT will keep a close eye on blowing snow brought on by heavy winds.
But they do have 200 plows in the metro and 800 statewide, covering more than 30,000 lane miles. Between the eight districts, MnDOT has more than 1,600 plow operators working 12-hour shifts.
"We've got a lot of folks that are going to be out there working the next couple of days," Meyer said.
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