The first winter storm of the season caused havoc on the roads Tuesday and Wednesday in North Dakota and Minnesota. Thanksgiving travelers are advised to exercise caution on the roads, even after the worst weather conditions have passed.
The onslaught of snow and ice created dangerous driving conditions on many major roadways in the region, with the most life-threatening situations presenting themselves on interstates and highways in North Dakota and Minnesota. By Wednesday, the MN Highway Patrol had responded to 553 vehicles off the road, 436 crashes, and 54 jackknifed semis. A massive pileup occurred on I-94 near Downer Tuesday afternoon, involving more than a dozen semis.
Amid widespread “no travel” advisories, I-94 was closed for several hours Tuesday while first responders assessed the situation.
North Dakota was also hit by an onslaught of incidents, with the North Dakota Highway Patrol responding to 63 crashes statewide. 108 motorists were assisted with other issues like getting out of the ditch.
Large portions of North Dakota and Minnesota roads remain ice-covered; drivers can find live road reports here (view MN and SD roads by clicking the blue “i” across the border):
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