Monday snowfall raises total to 13 inches
Another 1.5 inches of snow fell in Brainerd Monday afternoon just as people began digging out from the first major snowstorm of 2004.
Starting Sunday and running into Monday morning, the storm put a total of 13 inches of snow on the ground in Brainerd, the DNR office reported.
For the 2003-2004 winter season a total of 34 inches has fallen in Brainerd. For the 2000-2001 winter season, Brainerd received more than 55 inches of snow.
Of area cities Brainerd's snowfall total of 13 inches was average. Staples had about 20 inches, the National Weather Service in Duluth reported, and Pequot Lakes received more than 16 inches. Aitkin, Pillager, Breezy Point, Little Falls and Nisswa all received about 12 inches of snow.
For Brainerd, Sunday's and Monday's snow totals surpassed the Feb. 26, 2001, total of 12 inches, which had been the most snow Brainerd had received in the last four years.
In Duluth, the snowstorm was a record-setting event -- with the third highest recorded 24-hour snow total of 23.2 inches and the third highest recorded total snowfall amount of 27.1 inches, the NWS in Duluth reported.
Brainerd street crews Tuesday began plowing east-west streets and removing some of the snow piles in the middle of the downtown streets. Parking is banned on streets the day they are scheduled to be plowed until they have been plowed from curb to curb.
The NWS in Duluth is forecasting a chance of light snow Tuesday night through Saturday. Temperatures will fall to about 7 to 16 degrees below zero during the night on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, with high temperatures for those four days at or near zero.
Highways in Crow Wing, Cass, Morrison, Todd and Wadena counties were reported in fair condition today, the Minnesota Department of Transportation reported, with slippery conditions present.
To the south, in Mille Lacs, Stearns, Sherburne and Benton counties, MnDOT reported difficult driving conditions, with several icy areas.