WINONA, Minn. — Ahead of a major winter storm, school districts across southern Minnesota and adjoining areas of Iowa and Wisconsin cancelled classes the night before. There was a morning prelude of a coupe inches of snow. The big blast, perhaps 12 inches falling at two inches an hour, was due in the evening. What could be worse than thousands of students trapped overnight in schools by a storm that seemed sure to ground the yellow school buses to haul them home for the weekend. Snowplow crews with state Transportation Department were braced for their first major winter test. In the department’s 10-county southeast Minnesota District, a fleet of 101 snowplows was standing by. Drivers were told to be ready for 12-hour shifts. Although fierce, the snow was expected to abate by dawn. In Rochester the city panned to suspend bus services in the early evening.
Ready to roll. MnDOT plows fueled up, crews revved up.