MPR’s Mark Zdechlik reports on the deteriorating conditions around Fargo as a dangerous blizzard set in northwestern Minnesota. Zdechlik notes large amounts of falling snow, wind chills, and road closures.
The January 6-8, 1989, storm was one of the worst ever blizzards in the Red River Valley, delivering up to 26 inches of snow. Many roads were closed due to 50 mph winds which brought drift and whiteout conditions. The moisture also set up flooding in the spring.
SPEAKER: Heavy snow continued to fall across much of Northern Minnesota this morning. Snow is letting up temporarily in the Central part of the state. Snowfall amounts, 10 to 18 inches on the ground in much of the Northwest and West Central parts of the state, with amounts in excess of 4 inches across all of the state North of the Twin Cities.
Northwest winds of 15 to 30 miles an hour working into Western Minnesota, causing blowing and drifting snow. Visibility is expected to be near 0 at times in open country in Western Minnesota. Well, as it stands now, the brunt of this storm has hit the Northwest part of Minnesota and Eastern North Dakota. We have on the line with us, Mark Zdechlik, a reporter with Minnesota Public Radio station CUCM in the Fargo-Moorhead area. Good morning, Mark.
MARK ZDECHLIK: Good morning.
SPEAKER: It must have been fun getting into work.
MARK ZDECHLIK: Well, actually, I didn't come in here in my own car. That wouldn't go anywhere this morning at all.
SPEAKER: What's the situation up there now in the Fargo-Moorhead area?
MARK ZDECHLIK: We have 18.6 inches officially. That's the last report from the National Weather Service. Probably a little more than that by now, but quite a bit of snow. They don't know how long it's been since we've had that much snow at one time, but obviously 18.6 inches has really slowed things down in the Fargo-Moorhead area.
Things are looking pretty good right now, but the National Weather Service says the weather is going to be changing real soon. They're forecasting an additional 2 to 4 inches of snow by this evening. And strong, gusty winds, as you were mentioning just a few moments ago, as the day develops with near blizzard conditions. And wind chills way down to as much as 60 below zero. So they're very concerned about people being caught out on roadways, for example, in this storm.
SPEAKER: Yeah, it's obvious folks should not be out in the Fargo-Moorhead area, especially outside of town at all. Are you getting any reports of people getting stranded? Have you heard much about that?
MARK ZDECHLIK: Well, I haven't heard much about people being stranded. I've heard a lot about a lot of small accidents. And also a lot of people that are opening barricades at the State Patrol are putting up in Minnesota and North Dakota. And despite the fact that these roadways are closed, they are going through them. And actually, the law enforcement officials say they're having to spend a lot of time just policing that rather than helping people that are really having a big problem.
SPEAKER: Yeah. Which roads are closed now?
MARK ZDECHLIK: Well, as it stands right now, highway 94 from Fergus Falls to Fargo-Moorhead is closed. And also-- or Interstate 94. And highway 10 from Dilworth, Minnesota to Detroit Lakes is closed. Now, in North Dakota, they're not letting people on Interstate 94 or Interstate 29 at this point. They're very concerned that as the day progresses here, the winds are going to pick up and the visibilities are just going to shoot right down and people could just be trapped out there and there'd be no way to get to them.
SPEAKER: Yeah. Well, an understandable concern.
MARK ZDECHLIK: Evidently, a lot of people aren't understanding it, though. They say they're getting-- I talked to the Clay County Sheriff's Department. They say they're getting 40 to 50 calls an hour from people that are just violently opposed to them closing the roadways. So a lot of people aren't going along with it, but it makes a lot of sense to go along with it. So if anybody is thinking about driving in the areas where the State Patrol says they shouldn't be driving, it would just be best to take their word for it because this is a very dangerous storm.
SPEAKER: OK, thanks much.
MARK ZDECHLIK: OK, thank you, Mark.
SPEAKER: Mark Zdechlik reporting in from Minnesota Public Radio station CUCM in Moorhead.
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