NEXT Weather Alert: Snow trails off Friday, and temps begin to fall

Minnesotans proved during this most recent snowfall that they're willing to lend a helping hand.

Abimelec Garcia came across a school bus stuck in the snow in a residential St. Paul neighborhood Thursday morning.

"I just decide to go and ask him if he needs some help," Garcia said.

Garcia had a powerful truck and a tow line, as well as some doubts. But he set up his camera, and after a false start or two, and with a little bit of sliding, he pulled the bus free.

"Sometimes you see people struggling and you just pass by and you're like, 'Oh, I should've helped.' Then that's what I did," Garcia said. "I just went back to help, and that's what I do, that's what I like to do."

The bus company says seven students heading to St. Paul City School were on board. No one was hurt.

Fred Perez lives down the street from where the bus got stranded. Coincidentally, he also drives kids to school.

"No big bus could take these streets," Perez said. "You could get caught in a corner of a trap with three other cars. You sit there saying, 'Now what do I do?' You know? And I've been stuck with five kids in the van sitting there saying, 'What do I do?'"

Perez's son-in-law, Tong Song, was helping him shovel and salt Thursday with the same giving spirit Garcia had.

"People are amazing. They will stop," Perez said.

Garcia says if you see someone stuck or needing help, why not stop and give it to them?

It's still snowing in the Twin Cities Thursday night, and even though it hasn't stopped yet, people have already started working on getting what they can cleaned up before that big cooldown.

The sounds of snow blowers on sidewalks and shovels on driveways are filling neighborhoods across Minnesota.

"I'm trying to get the snow under control," said Minneapolis resident Ryan Sutherland.

It wasn't uncommon to see neighbors helping each other out with clearing a path, or just useful info.

"My neighbor Dawn over here was super polite in telling me exactly where the emergency snow routes are so we can park our cars on the right side of the street [laughs]!" Sutherland said.

"I saw some of the other neighbors out and just saw stuff that's not done yet and just helping out," said resident John Lown. "You can kinda call this the 'heart attack snow,' wet, and if I have a snow blower that can throw it rather than someone pushing it with a shovel, I'd rather help out.

Cleaning up snow can be hard work. It can be even harder if your equipment doesn't work. Fortunately, there are some easy ways to keep that from happening.

"The first snowfall's always the worst. The customers who haven't paid any attention to their snow blowers til they need it all of a sudden find out it's not gonna start, or whatever problems they're having," said John Stahley of Merriam Park Repair.

Stahley says with all the calls they're getting, it will be at least a week before they can get a broken snow blower back to you. And one thing is causing 90% of the repairs they're making.

"The ethanol that's in the gasoline we have today is poison for small engines. You want to get that out of there," he said. "Ethanol's an organic compound, so stuff grows in it, and being alcohol it attracts moisture so it grows even faster."

Ethanol-free gas is his big recommendation for snow blowers. Stahley also says if you are using one, make sure you know the area you're going to be clearing and that there isn't anything you shouldn't run over while cleaning up. That could lead to another costly repair.

The Minnesota State Patrol says from 7:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. Thursday, there were 191 crashes on state roads. Ten of those involved injuries.

There were also 328 spinouts and 20 jackknifed semis.

Heavy snow downed at least 100 power lines in northern Minnesota Thursday, and crews are working to get the lights back on.

Minnesota Power says it could take another day or two due to the tough travel conditions. 

As of 9:15 p.m. Thursday, about 9,500 are in the dark. It was more than twice that number earlier in the day.

One of the hardest-hit spots is the Nisswa area. Grand View Lodge says half of their resort is without power Thursday evening, and their main lodge is running on a generator.

SHOREVIEW, Minn. -- Thursday's snow was unique because it was wet and heavy, which made clearing your driveway a little more challenging.

In Shoreview, Julie Langley spent her off day still very much working.

"Free exercise!," Langley said, as she shoveled her driveway for the second time before noon on Thursday.

Langley didn't mind the excuse to get outside though, when her wooded street looked like a winter wonderland.

"You wake up and look out and think, 'This is why we live here,'" said Langley.

Meghan Sipple had the assistance of an engine on Thursday morning.

"We're like, let's do the Minnesota thing and buy a snowblower, and now we're both learning how to use it," said Sipple.

Pushing a machine through the heavy snow still takes muscle.

"I had every intention of going to the gym, but I figured this is a pretty equal work out," said Sipple.

Sipple did the neighborly thing on a day like this, and cleared the sidewalk in front of every house on her block in Columbia Heights.

"My wife and I try to help out the neighbors every year. We're in our 30s, so it's a lot easier for us to get outside and move around than it is for the elderly folks," said Sipple.

Paul Bridgeman drove to pick up some gas for his snow blower, but once he got home, he planned on staying put.

"I'm going to do some snow blowing here at my house," said Bridgeman, "There's no reason to go out, too many rookies out there."

The heavy, wet snow is beautiful sticking to individual branches, but it's also causing some issues sticking to powerlines. The snow is weighing down the powerlines, and Xcel Energy says they've responded to outages in Minnesota and Wisconsin on Thursday.

More snow brings more beauty, but there are also more piles, more puddles, more plowing, more pushing, more pain and just more problems.

"I've been here for all my life, I'm 75 years old, I've never seen it this wet and sloppy," said Two Harbors resident Paul Jones, sitting in his large pickup with a plow in front. "It's just a mess."

The mess follows nearly three days of on-again, off-again snow that first pummeled the Plains and then Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. Even after two days of blizzard warnings in the North Shore, the National Weather Service still has a good chunk of the Twin Cities and beyond under a winter storm warning through Thursday, and possibly into Friday.

Jones, who lives in Two Harbors northeast of Duluth, told CBS News Minnesota it took him four hours to clear his driveway.  

"I got an eight horsepower snow blower, and you can go 3 feet forward then have to back up, and that's in low gear. As low as it will go," he said. "It's just frustrating you can't move it. It's just slop."  

Finland, Minnesota, hit the highest mark on the ruler at 29 inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service. Two Harbors had up to 26. 

"It takes a little oxygen to move all this. It's very heavy," said resident Ray Waldron, as he took another deep breath. "We just have to keep working at it. Take a lot breaks. Drink water."

The work continued well into Thursday evening, and many of those plowing and snow blowing and shoveling and salting shared concerns about an impending dip in temperatures that will soon turn all the slush into slick ice.

"You go down once quick, hit your head and it could be all over," Waldron said. "That's all I want to do is make sure people are safe, and I'm safe."

A stretch of Interstate 94 near Moorhead was shut down early Thursday evening after dozens of cars and semis were stuck in a pile-up. The Minnesota State Patrol says no one was hurt.

Crews have been busy in that area Thursday helping pull out stranded drivers stuck in ditches filled with deep snow. 

Multiple crashes, including a jackknifed semi, have led to the closure of eastbound Highway 60 south of Worthington early Thursday evening. The impacted stretch of highway spans from the Iowa border to Brewster, Minnesota.

St. Paul Public Schools officials say some after school activities and programs have been canceled Thursday.

The cancellations include K-12 extended day learning, Flipside and middle school athletics. High school athletics will go on as scheduled.

A COVID-19 vaccine clinic has also been canceled.

Multiple metro cities, including Minneapolis and St. Paul, have declared snow emergencies.

To see if your city has declared a snow emergency and check the parking rules, click here.

On Wednesday, Bentleyville USA -- a popular holiday lights tourist destination -- announced they would be closed for that evening.

That announcement was repeated for Thursday, "due to the adverse weather conditions."

They say they hope to reopen for weekend holiday revelers on Friday, but will make that call later.

The Minnesota State Patrol says between 7:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., there were 79 crashes statewide. 

Four of the crashes resulted in an injury, but none were serious or fatal. Officials reported 130 vehicle spin outs and 3 jackknifed semis.

There were 72 crashes overnight, from 9 p.m. Wednesday to 7:30 a.m. on Thursday morning. A driver was killed on Highway 62 in Minneapolis, partly due to the snowy roads.

More than 11,200 people in northern Minnesota are without power on Thursday morning, as the second wave of the winter storm added another foot of snow to the area overnight.

Lake County Power says more than 420 outage points need repair in their 11,000 square service territory in northeastern Minnesota. The company says they're struggling with driving, especially in rural roads, which is slowing down their restoration services.

The greatest cause of the outages are the sagging trees; they're heavy with snow and breaking into power lines. When the snow drops off the lines, they slap together, which causes additional outages, the company says.

The city of Plymouth declared a snow emergency on Thursday morning. Full city snow removal will start at 10 a.m. 

To see if your city has declared a snow emergency, click here.

Visit Cook County Executive Director Linda Jurek gives us a look at the already impressive snowfall totals up north.

More than 10 inches of snow has already fallen in the Duluth area, and more is on the way.

Schools will be closed Thursday for the second day in a row, and even the United States Postal Service is canceling deliveries for the time being.

But people are embracing the blizzard – and getting ready for round two. WCCO caught some surfers diving right into Lake Superior and riding the waves Wednesday. Teacher Jayva Jordan took full advantage of the day off from school, and said she and her fellow surfers were playing it safe.

"It feels like home, yeah. There's nothing like it," Jordan said.

People were also hitting the slopes, like snowboarder Brady Alters.

"We definitely like to go as fast as we can down the mountain, riding with each other. It's nothing better than riding with your friends," Alters said.

Ski hills can't wait to have everyone to come up and enjoy the snow – but the snow isn't going anywhere. So officials are asking snow lovers to wait a few days for the storm to stop so crews can clear the roads to make sure everyone can travel safely before having fun safely.

Thursday morning commuters will be waking up to snowy roads, after crews will have already been out tending to the roads for hours.

Plow drivers with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) start their shifts at midnight.

"[The snow's] gonna impact the Thursday morning commute and really carry through through Friday," Anne Meyer with MnDOT said. "This is a long event."

Meyer says the rain has made it more tricky because roads can't be pre-treated. The state's relying on hundreds of drivers to work long shifts.

"In the Twin Cities metro, we work 12-hour shifts to keep plows on the roads 24 hours a day, and that will continue until our roads are back in the clear," Meyer said. "And then we'll probably have some cleanup, too."

Drivers can help make crews' jobs a little easier.

"Back off," said Joe MacPherson, Anoka's County engineer. "Allow the snowplow operators plenty of room to do their work. Many times, like on busy roads, they try and swing in and plow the turn lanes."

Minnesotans have heard winter driving tips like "Take it slow" and "Give yourself extra time" their whole lives.

There are also defensive driving techniques to take into a storm like Thursday's.

"Leave yourself space to accelerate," said Paul Aasen, president of the Minnesota Safety Council. "When you come onto a roadway, you're not gonna speed up as fast as you did before, so try not to zip in in front of somebody else."

There will be crashes. Aasen says the safest thing to do after that is stay in the vehicle, then be patient, because just like everyone else, it'll take longer for police, a tow, or medical attention to get to you.

The storm system that's relentlessly dumping lake effect snow on Duluth has led the city's school district to cancel classes for the second straight day. 

All student activities, practices and KEY Zone will also be canceled Thursday.

Up north in Duluth, the wet, heavy snow forced Spirit Mountain to close Wednesday because the ski lifts are unusable. But thrill seekers are finding other ways to take advantage of conditions!  

Usually freshly falling snow is a good thing for holiday attractions and ski hills, but there's apparently such thing as too much.

On Wednesday, Bentleyville USA -- a popular holiday lights tourist destination -- announced they would be closed for Wednesday evening. They urged people to follow their website throughout Thursday to see if they'll be closed that day as well.

Meanwhile, Spirit Mountain, a ski destination also in Duluth, also reported they would be closing all operations Wednesday.

"The continued thick snow has created safety concerns with the lifts and the overall operations this afternoon into the evening," the organization reported.

Tuesday night in Duluth's Canal Park, big waves are crashing on Lake Superior. The wind and the ice pellets are striking right on your face, and that's indicative of this storm.

A blizzard warning is in effect on the North Shore and the Arrowhead, and officials here are letting everyone know about it.

The other thing they want people to know is how and why this snow storm is going to be different. Wet and heavy snow is brutal on heavy equipment, so the city will rely less on plows and more on motor graders.

People blowing snow at home are being encouraged to do it early and often, otherwise you'll have trouble with your shear pins and chutes.

On the bright side, this snow will be great to pack down for cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. And it will provide a really nice base as we get further into winter.

Duluth Public Schools will be closed Wednesday, along with all after-school activities.

Urban and rural EMS are watching the forecast closely as a winter storm threatens to bring rain, ice and snow across Minnesota.

At Hennepin EMS headquarters, the teams of paramedics and EMTs are prepared with additional winter gear like shovels, salt and warm clothing. They serve approximately 266 square miles across the Twin Cities metro.

If roads get too dangerous, Battalion Chief Michael Trullinger says they have an option to switch to "Closest Hospital Status," meaning patients are taken to the nearest Emergency Room.

"Otherwise, it puts you at more risk and our transport times go way up," Trullinger said.

A nationwide EMS shortage isn't making their job any easier, though Trullinger says they are in a better staffing position this year compared to last.

"There are some days where, let's say we had 18 trucks, it seems like we always have 25 calls," he said.

In rural Minnesota, Perham EMS in Otter Tail County is also struggling with staffing and limited resources. They typically staff two ambulances, but could use up to four if additional EMTs and paramedics are called in.

"When we bring them into our hospital, if they're critically injured they get stabilized here at our hospital, then we have to transfer them out, and our transfers are anywhere from 75 to 150 miles away," EMS Director Jim Rieber said.

First responders remind drivers of the importance of allowing emergency crews to pass, especially during winter weather when conditions are worse.

"Please yield to our ambulances. They're going to an emergency if they have their lights and sirens on, and we really are asking for your help so we can get to that call quickly, that's very important," Trullinger said.

We have hundreds of WCCO Weather Watchers across the four-state area. Kim Schmidt sent in video Tuesday of the roads in his neighborhood in Luverne in southwest Minnesota.

Schmidt said it was clear people were staying home Tuesday. He's feeling grateful that the temperature never dropped below freezing, and an ice storm was avoided.

"With the combination of the rain and the snow, you know, they're a little slushy. But the main roads and the interstate are pretty clear," Schmidt said.

But in the opposite corner of the state. Duluth and the North Shore are bracing for a blizzard. Flakes aren't going to start falling there until later Tuesday night.

But to get ahead of the snow accumulation, a lot of schools and businesses are closing down already. We spoke with KBJR anchor Dan Wolfe in Duluth. He says this part of the state is used to a lot of snow – but not this much.

"People are really just kind of buckling in here, getting ready … to really hunker down for a few days, which isn't our typical reaction to a snow storm around here," Wolfe said.

He called snow totals like this "white gold" for the ski resorts and snowmobilers. So looking on the other side of this blizzard, they're excited up there. But they just got to get through it first safely.

Duluth Public Schools announced late Tuesday afternoon that all schools will be closed Wednesday due to "poor road conditions."

KEY Zone, student activities and practices are also called off for the day.

Get the latest on closures and delays by clicking here.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation says they're ready to manage the mix of elements for the oncoming storm.

"Each area is having a unique element when it comes to this storm," said MnDOT's Anne Meyer. "Crews are staying prepared."

Meyer says it's a case where one part of the state is getting ready in a different way than other parts of the state.

"There are going to be some challenging elements up along the North shore," she said. The area is expecting to get 20-30 inches of snow over the next few days. 

For some people, staying off the roads is not an option. 

"I am trying to get the load now, and I am going to hit the 35 south and I am going to get to Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and then I am gone," said Rennell O'Neal, who was at a truck stop in Inver Grove Heights. His final destination is sunny southern California.

MnDOT says it's not just truckers and big rigs that should be concerned.

"Depending on where you are, we are doing different things," said Meyer. "If it's snowing, we are plowing, we are putting down different things." She added the agency is monitoring micro-forecasts around the state.

A blizzard warning has been issued for the north shore of Minnesota, as some places are expecting 20-30 inches of snow over the next few days.

The snow hasn't hit just yet, but Duluth-area residents are getting ready to hunker down starting later in the evening.

"I don't care who you are or where you live or how much snow you're used to - when the forecast calls for upwards of 20 to 30 inches, which is what they're really calling for from Duluth up to the north shore, that'll get your attention," said Dan Wolfe, reporter and anchor at KBJR.

Lots of businesses and schools are closing for the "unique" storm, Wolfe said.

But on the bright side, the snow will be great for the ski resorts and snowmobilers, and the area is guaranteed to get a white Christmas.

Minnesota is likely to see a mix of rain, snow and ice across the state the next few days, the NEXT Weather team predicts. That brings with it driving delays, cancellations of school activities and potential power outages.  

For information on how to get prepared for a winter storm, click here.

Schools across the state are reporting delays and closings in anticipation of Tuesday's winter storm.

Check the latest by clicking here.

The National Weather Service issue several advisories late Monday afternoon as the large storm system approaches Minnesota:

Ice Storm Warnings -- Through 12 p.m. Tuesday
Cottonwood, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone and Rock counties.  

Winter Storm Warnings -- Through 12 a.m. Wednesday
Stevens, Lac qui Parle, Swift, Chippewa, Yellow Medicine, Renville and Redwood counties.  

Winter Storm Warnings -- Through 12 p.m. Wednesday
Morrison, Mille Lacs, Kanabec, Benton, Pennington, Red Lake, Mahnomen and Clearwater counties.    

Winter Storm Warnings -- Through 6 a.m. Wednesday
Douglas, Todd, Pope, Stearns and Kandiyohi counties.  

Winter Storm Warnings -- Through 6 p.m. Wednesday
Carlton, Cass, Itasca, Crow Wing, Aitkin, Pine, Kittson and St. Louis counties.  

Winter Storm Warnings -- Through 6 a.m. Thursday
Traverse and Big Stone counties.

Winter Storm Warnings -- Through 6 p.m. Thursday
Cook and Lake counties.