Community Corner
WEATHER ALERT: Plows, Cops, EMS Reacting to Snow Storm in Hudson
Inches of heavy, wet snow have hit the ground in Hudson, and the city's snow plow drivers are already at work.
A storm has brought inches of heavy, wet snow to Hudson Saturday. City snow plows already are patrolling the streets. officers and crews have been busy dealing with accidents and emergency situations.
Find out what's happening in Hudsonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for the area effective until 9 p.m.:
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR HEAVY SNOW... WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CST THIS EVENING.
Find out what's happening in Hudsonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
* TIMING... SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO OVERSPREAD PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA INTO WESTERN WISCONSIN THIS AFTERNOON. THE SNOW WILL BEGIN TO DIMINISH LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
* MAIN IMPACT... 2 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED IN THE ADVISORY AREA... WITH LOCALLY NEAR 5 INCHES FROM BENSON TO ST. CLOUD TO MORA MINNESOTA.
* OTHER IMPACTS... SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW COULD CAUSE HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS... ESPECIALLY UNTREATED AND RURAL ROADS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW MEANS THAT VISIBILITIES WILL BE LIMITED DUE TO A COMBINATION OF FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW. USE CAUTION WHEN TRAVELING... ESPECIALLY IN OPEN AREAS.
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More Information
... HEAVY SNOW TO CONTINUE INTO THIS EVENING...
.A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND ALL OF WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN THROUGH 9 PM TONIGHT. THIS INCLUDES THE TWIN CITIES METRO AREA AND EAU CLAIRE. A BAND OF INTENSE SNOWFALL WILL MOVE ACROSS EASTERN MINNESOTA AND WESTERN WISCONSIN THIS AFTERNOON... WITH 2 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW EXPECTED TO FALL IN THE COURSE OF 3 TO 4 HOURS. ISOLATED AMOUNTS OF 6 OR MORE INCHES OF SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE FROM ST. CLOUD EAST TOWARD CAMBRIDGE AND ACROSS THE US 8 CORRIDOR IN WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN.
A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR A SMALL PORTION OF WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 7 INCHES HAVE BEEN REPORTED THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. IN ADDITION NORTHERLY WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WILL CONTINUE CAUSE THE BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF SNOW IN OPEN AREAS THROUGH 8 PM.
THE SNOW WILL BEGIN TO TAPER OFF AND DIMINISH TO LIGHT SNOW OR FLURRIES OVER WESTERN MINNESOTA LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND OVER EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND WESTERN WISCONSIN THIS EVENING.
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The following is from about driving during an early season snowfall:
Hudson Police Chief Marty Jensen urges drivers to ease into the new season by being extra careful.
"The main thing is just to slow down, espeically if the roadway is covered," Jensen said. "I think people tend to forget how to drive in snow and ice until we've had a couple of snowfalls."
The dramatic change in road conditions that comes with the first snowfall or ice storm usually results in a small spike in the number of accidents, according to Jensen.
"We do get a fender benders usually on the first significant snowfall that we get," Jensen said. "A lot of it comes from the fact that people aren't slowing down and people not remembering what the road conditions are like."
Jensen recommends that drivers prepare their vehicles for winter by ensuring they have good tires to prevent slipping and sliding. He also said it's good to have an emergency kit in the car in case you have to stay in your car for a long time in the cold. Items to include in an emergency kit are a blanket, flashlight, flares, a container to melt snow for water, candy bars, and of course a cell phone with a charge.
