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Three-day blizzard dumps more snow, builds giant drifts, cripples regional travel

Lead Summary
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By
Lori Sorenson

The Feb. 21-23 blizzard dropped another foot of snow in Rock County and the tri-state area, adding to the heavy snow cover already on the ground this winter.
The National Weather Service, which accurately forecast the event days ahead, called it a “significant winter storm,” with waves of moderate to heavy snow impacting areas especially near and north of Interstate 90.
Meanwhile, wind gusts up to 45 mph and sub-zero temperatures produced dangerous conditions and significant drifting — which completely blocked many roads and major highways.
I-90, state highways 23 and 75 and other roadways in the entire southwestern quarter of the state were closed for most of Wednesday and Thursday.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation issued “no travel” advisories and penalty warnings for motorists who didn’t comply and needed rescuing.
According to Rock County Emergency Management Director Kyle Oldre, no one needed rescuing, but a team was ready, just in case.
“There was considerable preparation leading up to the event,” Oldre said.
“The National Guard had soldiers staged in Luverne for both rescue and shelter purposes, and the state and weather service had daily briefings to ensure everyone was on the same page.” 
Local schools pivoted to e-learning during those days and started late on Friday. Before last week’s storm, districts were already planning to make up lost classroom time before the school year ends in May.
Many businesses announced closures in order to keep employees safe and to discourage customers from traveling.
When the wind finally quieted and snow stopped flying late Thursday and into Friday morning, it became abundantly clear why travel wasn’t advised.
Social media posts showed 4-foot-deep drifts blocking driveways and curling up against garage doors and shop entrances.
MnDOT tweeted photographs Friday morning of a monster drift stretching across two lanes of I-90 near Adrian.
While the sun was shining and winds were calm Friday morning, it took snow removal crews days to make roads passable.
And once they were opened, winds picked up again Saturday, drifting snow back in where it had just been cleared.
Many county and township road crews had just caught up from the last heavy snowfall that built up steep snowbanks in ditches and road shoulders.
After working to push those snowbanks farther off the roads, this last storm put them back to Square 1.
 
Staying ahead of snow
In Beaver Creek Township, Stan Steensma is the road maintenance supervisor and operates the snowplow after blizzards.
This winter he’s getting help from seasonal township hire Matt Sorenson, who’s running the township’s recently purchased used snowblower on a leased John Deere tractor from C&B.
The two work in tandem to stay ahead of blowing and drifting. Steensma plows a swath down the roads, and Sorenson follows up with the snowblower to widen the path and open intersections.
“It’s done wonders for the roads,” said Beaver Creek Township Clerk JoEllen Benson.
She said the township board had considered buying extra snow removal equipment in previous years, but wondered if it would be a good investment.
“Well, look at this year,” Benson said.  “I know our township residents are very happy with it.”
She said the township board used some federal pandemic relief funds to cover the extra snow removal expenses.
“That was a very good use of ARPA money,” Benson said, referring to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
Rock County Highway Engineer Mark Sehr said his department is getting by with existing staff, but he said this winter is getting expensive.
“I would say that at this time, we have easily spent double of what we averaged over the last five years,” he said.
In addition to overtime and equipment maintenance and repair, he said inflation is affecting his budget with diesel fuel, salt, sand and replacing carbide steel cutting edges (heavy plates that protect the snowplow from road friction).  
“Everything has escalated in price,” Sehr said.
He said it’s been a long and more severe winter than most people have become accustomed to over the last five to 10 years.
“For anyone working in the snow removal business, many hours have been put in and we appreciate our employees’ efforts,” Sehr said.  
“Our residents, schools and businesses have felt the effect of the exceptional snowfall amounts and the frequency of ‘high wind’ events. We appreciate everyone's patience and understanding while these events occur.”

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