A powerful late-season winter storm dumped over two feet of snow across northern Minnesota on Tuesday, snarling travel and forcing school closures across a dozen counties. The heaviest snowfall was recorded in Duluth, where 26.3 inches fell over a 24-hour period, making it the largest April snowstorm in the city's recorded history.
Blizzard conditions with winds gusting to 50 mph created near-zero visibility on major highways, prompting the Minnesota State Patrol to close Interstate 35 north of Hinckley for several hours. Hundreds of motorists were stranded, and emergency shelters were opened at churches and community centers along the corridor.
While April snowstorms are not unheard of in Minnesota, the magnitude of this event has surprised even veteran meteorologists. The snow is expected to melt rapidly as temperatures climb into the 50s later this week, raising concerns about flooding along already swollen rivers in the region.
