Snowy roads lie ahead for holiday travelers
52 from #rochmn to MSP partially covered in snow. Already a handful of crashes or spinouts N of Zumbrota. Conditions worse on I-35 in S MN
— Randy Brock (@RandyBrock) November 26, 2014
(THE MED CITY BEAT) - Snowy roads are already causing problems for Minnesotans during one of the busiest travel times of the year.
About two to four inches of snow is expected to fall on Rochester on Wednesday. But according to the National Weather Service, 6 to 10 inches is possible by Thanksgiving morning in the nearby counties of Goodhue, Rice and Steele.
"The heaviest snowfall is expected to occur late [Wednesday] morning through the early afternoon hours with just a few periods of light snow hanging around into the early evening," said KTTC-TV meteorologist Ted Schmidt.
Slow down! Roads are slick! #WinterDriving #rochmn pic.twitter.com/7ejFRIOTNr
— James Wilcox (@JamesWilcoxABC6) November 26, 2014
Thanksgiving weekend is traditionally one of the most dangerous holiday weekends on Minnesota roads.
The Star Tribune reports distracted driving was the most common factor in 564 crashes involving 1,436 cars between Nov. 27 and Dec. 1 last year. That's ahead of failure to yield to other motorists, speeding, and drunken or drugged driving.
Safety experts say taking rest breaks is important, especially on long trips. Most of Minnesota’s rest areas are open and available 24 hours per day, seven days per week.
Go to the Minnesota Department of Transportation's website for the latest road conditions and traffic cameras.
(Cover photo: The Med City Beat)