DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth residents woke up Wednesday to widely varying snow totals, with depths ranging from about four inches of compacted snow to more than ten inches in areas where drifting occurred.
The heaviest snowfall came during the early morning hours. Snow continued moving east by daybreak, and the National Weather Service reported decreasing snowfall rates, though winds of 30 to 45 mph were creating blowing snow and occasional whiteout conditions.
City plow crews have been clearing streets since 6 p.m. Tuesday, with a full staff reporting at 2 a.m. Wednesday to work on Priority 1 high-traffic routes. Crews will remain focused on Priority 1 and Priority 2 residential streets throughout the day and expect to begin addressing Priority 3 routes — including alleys, gravel roads and dead ends — as conditions allow.
Officials urged residents to avoid driving if possible and to give plow operators ample space on the road. “Take it slow on snow and ice” remains the city’s reminder as crews contend with drifting and compacted snow.
Illegally parked vehicles continue to slow plowing progress. The city asked drivers to follow posted parking regulations and observe alternate-side parking rules, which require parking on the odd-numbered side of the street this week. Violators risk being ticketed or towed.
City facilities are open Wednesday, though staffing may be limited due to the holiday week and weather conditions.
More information on Duluth’s snow and ice policy is available at the city’s website.
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Minnesota Power crews worked through the night and continued efforts Wednesday to restore electricity to thousands of customers affected by the region’s first significant snowstorm of the season.
Heavy, early-winter snow and strong winds late Tuesday brought down trees, power lines and poles, triggering scattered outages from Little Falls to Cloquet to Long Prairie. The utility said additional crews were called in Tuesday evening, but travel conditions in some areas slowed response times.
In Duluth, about 1,000 customers in the Lakeside and Lester Park neighborhoods lost service Wednesday morning. Minnesota Power reported roughly 2,000 customers across its service area without electricity as of 9:30 a.m.
“The safety of our crews and customers is our top priority during this outage response,” the utility said, urging residents to stay clear of all downed power lines and to avoid removing tree branches that have fallen onto wires. All downed lines should be treated as energized. Drivers are asked to give crews ample space along roads and to slow down when passing work zones.
Customers can report outages by calling Minnesota Power at 1-800-228-4966.
The utility encouraged customers to use its mobile app to report outages, view outage maps and check estimated restoration times. The app is available for Apple and Android devices through the Minnesota Power website. Outage maps and additional information also can be found at www.mnpower.com/OutageCenter. Updates are posted on the company’s Facebook and X (Twitter) accounts.
Minnesota Power offered the following storm-preparation tips:
. Keep a “lights out” kit with a flashlight, extra batteries and a battery-powered radio.
. Use candles or camping lanterns cautiously.
. Keep matches and firewood handy if you have a fireplace.
. Switch off televisions, stoves, microwaves, stereos and other appliances, leaving only the refrigerator and freezer running.
. Leave on one light to signal when power returns.
. Stay away from low or downed wires and always assume they are energized.
More storm-safety information is available at www.mnpower.com/OutageCenter/WhatToDoIfLightsGoOut.
