Snow-covered roads in Minnesota caused 577 crashes on Wednesday, including 2 deaths

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Snowy roads Wednesday result in 577 accidents, 2 deaths

Freezing temperatures and snowfall made for slippery roads on Wednesday and Thursday. The Minnesota State Patrol reported 577 crashes between midnight and 9 p.m. Wednesday, two of which were fatal.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Snowfall and freezing temperatures During the week it caused slippery roads, causing hundreds of accidents and at least two deaths.

Crashes and spinouts

Snow Leads to Accidents on MN Roads: Compilation

Here’s a compilation of crashes captured by traffic cameras in Minnesota Wednesday and Thursday after a fall of about an inch occurred on the Twin Cities subway.

The Minnesota State Patrol reported 577 crashes in the state from midnight to 9 p.m. Wednesday, along with 168 spinouts and 23 semi-trucks. Of these, 48 people were injured and two others died.

The first fatal crash occurred around 7:40 a.m. in Owatonna on Interstate 35. According to the accident report, a 25-year-old woman was driving northbound on the ice and snow-covered road when she lost control, left the roadway and into the car ended up. slot.

The 25-year-old woman and a 4-year-old child suffered non-life-threatening injuries. According to the crash report, a young boy was killed in the collision.

A 31-year-old Brainerd man was killed in a single-vehicle crash in Crow Wing County on Wednesday around 5:45 p.m. The man was driving a pickup on Highway 371 when he left the roadway and entered the median. According to the report, roads were covered in snow and ice at the time of the accident.

Additional crashes were reported overnight, including a multi-vehicle crash in Burnsville that occurred around midnight on the Interstate 35W bridge over the Minnesota River. The driver of an SUV had already spun out when two other drivers lost control and spun across the ice before they all collided.

The State Patrol has not yet provided updated crash figures for Thursday.

Multi-vehicle crash in Burnsville: Traffic cameras

MnDOT traffic cameras captured a multi-vehicle crash in Burnsville on the Interstate 35W bridge over the Minnesota River around midnight. The driver of an SUV had already spun out when two other drivers lost control and spun across the ice before they all collided.

Snow made for slippery roads Wednesday and Thursday morning

The snow started before dawn Wednesday in the Twin Cities as air temperatures began to drop below freezing, but roads were in fair condition until evening traffic.

This is because the freeze-thaw cycle for the soil is slowed by air temperature. It takes a while for the ground to reach the colder air temperatures, especially during the day.

Well, after several hours of subzero air temperatures on Wednesday, the ground began to freeze. Add to that a snow shower for a few hours around and during evening traffic as that occurs, and that means snow accumulating on our roads and slick conditions.

READ MORE: MN weather: Slick roads Thursday after snow Wednesday

The exact opposite will likely happen on Thursday as air temperatures start the day above freezing, but the ground is still frozen, so it will take some time for our snow on our roads and grass surfaces to melt.