First Snow Makes For Slippery Day On Minnesota Roads
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Twin Cities drivers got snow both during the morning rush hour and for the evening commute as we got our first significant snow of the season.
It took commuters a lot longer to get to work Monday morning, and just as long to get home Monday night.
"It took me two hours and 45 minutes to get to work," Jim Benson said.
About three inches of snow fell around Minneapolis. Rain turned into thick, white flakes at times, putting some vehicles in the ditch. It also created stalls and spin-outs that drivers desperately tried to recover from.
"The first snowfall is always fun. Then it gets old," Benson said.
"Deliveries actually triple in this weather," Billy Brownlee said.
Brownlee is a manager at Jimmy John's in Dinkytown. Their motto is "Freaky Fast," but Monday night was more about being safe than fast.
"We inform them to be more careful than fast so we inform them to deliver a safe sandwich rather than a quick one," Brownlee said.
Brownlee did say that tips also triple during snowstorms.
The Minnesota State Patrol said that between midnight and 9 p.m. Monday, there were 391 crashes across the state. Of those, 37 involved injuries, one serious injury and there were two fatal accidents. There were also 346 reported vehicles that went off the road and spin-out statewide.