Crow Wing County Navigating Spring Snowstorm

Minnesota finally got some more snow in this abnormally mild winter.

Although the Twin Cities got the brunt of the snowstorm, several inches have fallen elsewhere in the state, including in Crow Wing County. On Monday, Brainerd Public Schools as well as Central Lakes College cancelled classes for the first time this year.

Minnesota’s back to looking like Minnesota following this past weekend’s snowstorm and the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office’s urging residents to stay off the roads.

“If you don’t have to be out and about, I think it’s best just to stay home,” said Craig Katzenberger, Crow Wing County Operations Lieutenant. “Stay home with your kids if you can, do some work from home, if you’re able to. But we also realize people need to be out and about and they have things they need to get done.”

For those that can’t avoid travel, Katzenberger has one simple, yet important message.

“Just slow down, that’s the biggest thing,” he emphasized. “Just slow your speeds down. Take extra precaution when you’re going to be stopping your vehicle, when you’re going to be making those turns. Slow down way before that turn and just be extra, extra cautious.”

Exercising caution will also go a long way for the Crow Wing County Highway Department, as maneuvering around traffic is the biggest challenge for snowplow drivers.

“Our plows are going around 20 to 25 miles an hour and that is on purpose,” explained Jory Danielson, the department’s maintenance manager. “The slower they go, the more contact that plow blade makes with the roadway and can scrape and do a better job of getting as much snow and ice compaction off as possible.”

While the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office is asking patrons to exhibit cautious driving amidst the inclement weather, the County Highway Department needs residents to let the snowplowers do their jobs. And with an additional 4-6 inches of snow expected between today and Tuesday afternoon, their work’s far from finished.

“We were back in this morning at 3 and we’re anticipating being back in again tomorrow morning at 3 as the storm tapers off late morning, early afternoon,” added Danielson. “Continued snow is covering everything up. As the trucks plow it off, it gets covered behind them again. Our main goal is just to keep the majority of the snow off the roads, keep traffic flowing as best we can, and just kind of keep that same cycle until the snow decides to end.”

As of Tuesday morning, Crow Wing County is currently in a Winter Storm Warning that will be in effect until 10 a.m. that day. Brainerd Public Schools will start two hours late on Tuesday as well.