MPR’s Cathy Wurzer talks with Les Heitke, the mayor in Willmar, about snowstorm that stalled over that city and buried it in snow.
After nearly a month of balmy November weather in 2001, a powerful, slow-moving winter storm hit Minnesota. A swath of heavy snow fell over central Minnesota, with the heaviest snow centered around Willmar.
SPEAKER: It just circled right above us and it dropped 29.5 inches of snow.
KATHY: Now, is that a new record?
SPEAKER: It appears to be. We're still checking with the Weather Service, but apparently it's the most snow in a 24-hour period in the state or since 1933.
KATHY: How did the storm affect Willmar?
SPEAKER: Well, the city stayed open technically, but most businesses chose to close down, or certainly close down early. City Hall was open. The hospital was open. We have two large medical centers. They both closed for the day.
And Family Services, the County social services office was closed. But the basic functions we were able to stay open, and public works crews were out all day. They've been out all night plowing, and shoveling, and blowing snow to unplug the city.
KATHY: There were reports that some kids were playing in snow drifts up to their waists.
SPEAKER: Well, it was quite windy, and so the drifts were all over the place. There were reports of drifts as high as 20 to 25 feet in parts of town, especially in some of the open parking lots.
KATHY: Well, how are things this morning?
SPEAKER: Well, basically, the town is opening up. All the schools are running about two hours late, but it sounds like they're all going to try and meet. And the city, the crews have been working since through the night. The streets are opening up.
We are cautious because there's a storm coming in from South Dakota that might drop anywhere from 4 to 7 inches, and we're just waiting to see if that's going to hit us or maybe slide by us.
KATHY: It must be kind of pretty, though.
SPEAKER: Oh, it's beautiful, Kathy. For at least the next couple of weeks, we will have the best snow for snowmobiling and cross-country skiing in the Midwest.
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