Winter storm: 255 crashes, 375 vehicles off road; Hwy. 52 pileup snarls Inver Grove Heights
A winter storm warning in effect from 6 p.m. Tuesday to 9 a.m. Wednesday brought a changeover to snow across the Twin Cities (generally 3–5 inches, locally higher to the north), with wind gusts up to about 40–45 mph causing blowing snow, low visibility and snow‑covered roads through the Wednesday morning commute. The Minnesota State Patrol reported 255 crashes and 375 vehicles off the road (including 13 jackknifed semis), 19 injury crashes and one fatal wreck, and a multi‑vehicle pileup on Hwy. 52 near the Concord Blvd. exit in Inver Grove Heights that snarled traffic in both directions.
📌 Key Facts
- The National Weather Service/forecasters placed much of Minnesota, including the Twin Cities, under a Winter Storm Warning from 6 p.m. Tuesday to 9 a.m. Wednesday (earlier start than prior guidance).
- Snow totals: the Twin Cities generally saw 3–5 inches (MSP Airport 4.1"), with central/northern Minnesota favored for 5–8+ inches (Alexandria/Brainerd/St. Cloud through Pine City into NW Wisconsin) and parts of southern Minnesota closer to 1–2 inches; city reports included Coon Rapids 4.6", Rosemount 4.6", St. Stephen 4.5", Ramsey 4.5", Buffalo 3.4", Eden Prairie 3", Burnsville 3".
- High winds accompanied the storm — gusts up to about 40–45 mph — producing blowing snow, low visibility and blustery conditions that could persist even as snow tapers off.
- Precipitation timeline: rain moved through during the evening commute, changed to a wintry mix and then snow late Tuesday night (worst travel overnight); snow was expected to taper toward the end of the Wednesday morning commute, though light snow/flurries could return and complicate travel.
- State Patrol totals for the main reporting window (noon Tuesday–9 a.m. Wednesday) were updated to 255 crashes, 375 vehicles off the road, 13 jackknifed semis, 19 injury crashes and one fatal wreck (earlier interim tallies with slightly lower counts were also issued).
- Major incidents included a multi‑vehicle pileup on Hwy 52 near the Concord Blvd exit in Inver Grove Heights that snarled traffic both directions; a five‑vehicle crash on I‑94 at Hwy 25 in Monticello (4 semis, 1 car) spilled pasta and briefly closed the interstate for cleanup.
- Road conditions and travel impacts: MnDOT and State Patrol reported many routes snow/ice covered or slushy with reduced speeds and active incidents (including extremely slippery roads in west‑central Minnesota where a no‑travel advisory was later lifted); travelers were urged to avoid unnecessary travel.
- Local responses: some schools closed or delayed the day before Thanksgiving, Brooklyn Center and Crystal declared snow emergencies, and Golden Valley enforced winter parking restrictions and scheduled curb‑to‑curb plowing.
📊 Relevant Data
In 2022, Minnesota recorded 18,706 traffic crashes on snow or ice/frost road surfaces, resulting in 36 fatalities and 4,237 injuries, accounting for 26.6% of all crashes that year.
Minnesota Motor Vehicle Crash Facts 2022 — Minnesota Department of Public Safety
Indigenous people comprise 0.52% of Minnesota's population but were involved in 3.5% of fatal vehicle crashes from 2015-2019, representing an overrepresentation of approximately 3.9 times per capita.
Race and Transportation Trend Analysis — Minnesota GO
13.2% of Black Minnesotans live in households without access to a motor vehicle, compared to 3% of White non-Hispanic Minnesotans, with Black residents comprising 9.99% of the population and White non-Hispanic 73.71%.
Race and Transportation Trend Analysis — Minnesota GO
Nearly 80% of White non-Hispanic Minnesotans live in households with access to two or more vehicles, compared to less than 50% of Black Minnesotans.
Race and Transportation Trend Analysis — Minnesota GO
📰 Source Timeline (9)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
December 29, 2025
4:02 PM
Interstate 35 closed: Iowa DOT hopes to reopen I-35 by early afternoon
New information:
- Confirms I-35 remains closed between I-90 at Albert Lea and Highway 30 in Ames, Iowa as of Monday morning, with only the Owatonna–Albert Lea section in Minnesota reopened.
- Adds Iowa DOT’s expectation that I-35 will reopen by early Monday afternoon, pending removal of disabled vehicles and completion of snow and ice clearing.
- Provides explicit guidance that drivers should not seek alternate routes around the closed I-35 segment until later in the day due to continuing hazardous conditions.
December 10, 2025
3:02 PM
Minnesota winter storm leads to hundreds of crashes, vehicles off the road
New information:
- Updated State Patrol totals (noon Tue–9 a.m. Wed): 255 crashes, 375 vehicles off the road, 13 jackknifed semis.
- Injury/fatal detail: 19 injury crashes and one fatal wreck in the reporting window.
- Specific incident: multi‑vehicle pileup on Hwy 52 near the Concord Blvd exit in Inver Grove Heights caused backups in both directions.
- Metro snowfall update: Twin Cities generally 3–5 inches; MSP Airport official total 4.1 inches.
4:19 AM
Minnesota weather: Snow totals so far, light snow expected overnight
New information:
- City-specific snow totals reported: Coon Rapids 4.6", Rosemount 4.6", St. Stephen 4.5", Ramsey 4.5", Buffalo 3.4", Eden Prairie 3", Burnsville 3"
- Forecast update: light snow/flurries expected to return later Tuesday night into early Wednesday, likely complicating the morning commute
- Status update: brief lull in snowfall Tuesday evening with temperatures ticking up before the next band arrives
1:19 AM
MN weather: Hundreds of crashes during Tuesday winter storm
New information:
- State Patrol update for noon–6:30 p.m. Dec. 9: 130 property-damage crashes, 12 injury crashes, 147 vehicles off the road, 6 spinouts, 4 jackknifed semis, no fatalities.
- Five-vehicle crash (4 semis, 1 car) on I-94 at Hwy 25 in Monticello spilled pasta onto the roadway; the car driver had a minor injury and the interstate briefly closed for cleanup.
- Brooklyn Center declared a snow emergency starting 10 p.m. Dec. 9 (no on-street parking until plowed curb-to-curb).
- Crystal declared a snow emergency beginning 12:01 a.m. Dec. 10.
- Golden Valley reiterated winter parking restrictions (no parking 2–6 a.m.) and said street plowing would begin at 4 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10.
November 26, 2025
1:32 PM
MN weather: Snowy roads lead to 253 crashes, 333 vehicles off the road
New information:
- Minnesota State Patrol (noon Tue–6 a.m. Wed): 253 property-damage crashes, 30 injury crashes, 11 spinouts, 333 vehicles off the road, and 30 jackknifed semis.
- As of 6 a.m. Wednesday, most Twin Cities roads listed by MnDOT as snow/ice covered; speeds reduced with a dozen-plus active incidents.
- No-travel advisory in west-central Minnesota was lifted, but State Patrol says roads there remain extremely slippery.
- Snow tapering Wednesday morning, but blustery conditions could cause blowing snow; Winter Storm Warning in effect until 9 a.m. for much of Minnesota including the Twin Cities.
10:58 AM
MN weather: Snow ends Wednesday morning; quiet and cold Thanksgiving
New information:
- Snow is expected to taper off toward the end of the Wednesday morning commute, but blustery conditions will persist.
- Twin Cities forecast specifics: Wednesday high near 29°F (low ~21°F) with gusts possibly topping 40 mph.
- Thanksgiving outlook: partly sunny, breezy, less windy than Wednesday; high ~27°F, low ~15°F.
- Colder turn this weekend with highs dipping into the teens Sunday and Monday; potential for another round of snow this weekend.
- Road conditions will improve through Wednesday but many routes remain partially or fully covered during a busy travel day.
7:45 AM
LIVE UPDATES: Minnesota snowstorm closes schools, causes slippery road conditions
New information:
- Observed conditions: As of ~1:30 a.m. Wed., MnDOT 511 shows snow‑covered roads across northern Minnesota and slush/snow on many Twin Cities routes.
- School impacts: Some Minnesota schools are closed or on delayed starts the day before Thanksgiving.
- Precipitation changeover: Rain changed to a wintry mix and then snow late Tuesday night in the Twin Cities.
- Updated snowfall ranges reiterated: 3–5" for the Twin Cities (locally higher in the north metro); 5–8"+ for central/northern MN; 1–2" for parts of southern MN.
November 25, 2025
12:46 PM
Minnesota weather: Here's what to expect for Tuesday, early Wednesday's winter storm
New information:
- Warning window specified as 6 p.m. Tuesday to 9 a.m. Wednesday (earlier start than prior 9 p.m. guidance).
- Metro snowfall forecast refined to 3–5 inches, with northern metro potentially higher.
- Wind gusts could reach up to 45 mph, creating blowing snow and low visibility.
- Heavier bands (5–8+ inches) favored for central/northern MN from Alexandria/Brainerd/St. Cloud through Pine City into NW Wisconsin.
- Timeline detail: rain during the evening commute in the metro changing to snow as temperatures fall, with the worst travel conditions overnight.