ST. PAUL, Minn. – The past winter was relatively mild in Minnesota, which made snow removal less expensive for the state Transportation Department. The department’s annual report shows $116 million was spent clearing roads. On a complex scale to measure the winter’s severity, the agency pegged 2020-1921 at 101 – the lowest in five years. The southeast counties were 70. Recent severity indices:
> 1920-2021: 101 statewide, 70 southeast counties.
> 2019-2020: 151 statewide, 108 southeast counties.
> 2018-2019: 154 statewide, 144 southeast counties.
> 2017-2018: 124 statewide, 94 southeast counties.
> 2016-2017: 148 statewide, 109 southeast counties.