A slow-moving storm has dumped snow on parts  of the Midwest, blanketing the Twin Cities, making roads treacherous or  impassable, and leading to at least one fatal crash.

The Twin Cities experienced at least 16  inches of snow Sunday – its heaviest snowfall in two years – leading to the  cancellation of dozens of flights at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport  and caused hundreds of road accidents around the state.

Blizzard conditions, blowing and drifting  snow made visibility so poor that the state Department of Transportation pulled  snowplows off some highways in southwest and west Minnesota on Sunday  afternoon.

Dangerous passage: A wreckage lies on the road from a fatal accident on the east side of U.S. 61, south of the County 21 intersection after massive snowfall

The Minnesota State Patrol reported more than  600 crashes by Monday morning, and at least 1,140 spinouts, according to Lt.  Eric Roeske, and driving conditions remained hazardous.

One person was killed in a crash involving a  semi near Red Wing and injuries were reported in 63 other accidents, the patrol  said.

A large contingent of snowplows worked to  clear highways, ramps and bridges in time for the Monday morning commute in the  Twin Cities.

Other road accidents were reported in western  Wisconsin including a jackknifed semi that closed a westbound lane of Interstate  94 near Menomonie, Wisconsin, about 2 a.m. Monday.

The storm also dumped more than a foot of  snow on South Dakota at the weekend, forcing the closure of several  interstates.

Fatal: Wreckage lies on the road from a fatal accident on the east side of U.S. 61, south of the County 21 intersection, and north of the Wacouta Road exit in Goodhue County

The National Weather Service issued a winter  storm warning for the far northwest of Wisconsin on Monday, with snow  accumulations of up to 9 inches expected through noon.

The skies were overcast in the Twin Cities  early Monday, but no watches or warnings were in effect.

The Twin Cities’ heaviest snowfall last  winter was 4.2 inches on December 3, and it received 16.3 inches on December 11,  2010.

That last storm caused the Metrodome to  collapse, forcing the Vikings to play the final two games of the season  elsewhere. The project to restore the inflatable roof cost $22.7 million, and  officials there weren’t taking chances of a repeat Sunday.

Steve Maki, director of facilities for the  Metropolitan Sports Facilities Authority, said they cranked up the heat after  Sunday’s Vikings-Bears game and planned to keep it that way until the storm  passed.

Some school districts in Minnesota, Wisconsin  and South Dakota canceled or delayed classes on Monday morning.

Around 150 flights at Minneapolis-St. Paul  International Airport were canceled Sunday due to the storm, airport spokesman  Pat Hogan said.

Flights were operating on time by Monday  morning, according to the airport’s website.

Source: The Daily Mail

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