Powerful Winter Storm Creating Dangerous Travel Conditions Across Upper Midwest

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A powerful winter storm with heavy snow and ice has created dangerous travel conditions, closed scores of schools and caused a chain reaction accident that injured at least six people in the Upper Midwest.

The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for parts of the Dakotas Tuesday.

In Minnesota, snow continued to mount following Monday’s totals ranging from 13 inches (33 centimeters) in the west-central region and 7 inches (17.7 centimeters) near Duluth.

In North Dakota, the State Patrol said five semis and eight other vehicles piled up west of Fargo Monday, closing a section of Interstate 94. At least six people were treated at Fargo hospitals.

In South Dakota, cold temperatures and perilous wind chills were expected through the majority of the week. Forecasters said daytime highs along the North Dakota border were likely to stay well below zero.

Sustained winds and gusts will drive wind chills down to minus 25 to 40 below across the western half of South Dakota through Wednesday morning, the weather service said.

Through noon on Tuesday, the weather service said up to 6 inches (15 centimeters) of additional snow accumulation is expected across the western half of the state, with the majority of new snowfall along and south of the Interstate 90 corridor.

Schools across the region closed Tuesday or switched to virtual learning. In Wisconsin, the state’s largest district, Milwaukee Public Schools, was among the numerous closings.

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