How MnDOT is preparing for Tuesday's snowstorm

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Department of Transportation is keeping a close eye on the incoming snow.

MnDOT plows will soon be out to pre-treat the roads. They usually aim for 6-12 hours before a snow event, so for this incoming snow, the first crews will head out at midnight. Plows will hit trouble spots like bridges and overpasses that tend to get slick and freeze first.

What they treat the roads with and when and where to plow relies heavily on science and technology.

There are 200 MnDOT plows that cover just the metro area, with 400 drivers switching every 12 hours to keep the highways and interstates clean during a snow event.

Each driver has their own set route and each plow is outfitted with sophisticated technology that is taking in real-time data of the road temperature, air temperature and the type of precipitation that's falling to give the driver a more accurate suggestion on how to treat the roads -- whether salt or brine works better, or a mix of both.

MnDOT says this technology is a game changer in Minnesota winters.

"It's never a one-stop shop or a one solution for every route out there. All of these factors have an impact, if it's a little bit colder, if it's more snow than less snow, if the timing is different all of those can have an impact on how well we do and how we do things," Anne Meyer with MnDOT communications said.

WCCO's Pauleen Le will take an even deeper dive into this technology Tuesday morning.