School closed consecutive days as storm hammers area

WINTER BLAST — Larry Goehring of New Richland, above, uses his snow blower to clear downtown sidewalks last Friday. Roads were closed, school was cancelled and events postponed as a two-day blizzard hit the region. (Star Eagle photo by Jim Lutgens)

By JIM LUTGENS and KATHY PAULSEN

Of the Star Eagle Staff

Feeling a little edgy lately? Notice anybody else acting a little cranky? Blame it on the weather. Welcome to the winter that will not end.

The winter of 2013-2014, already the ninth coldest on record with more sub-zero temperatures in the forecast, added a new twist in the region last week — a good old-fashion blizzard that dumped some 7 inches of heavy, wet snow, causing road closures, school closings last Thursday and Friday and dozens upon dozens of automobile and truck mishaps.

The National Guard was summoned to assist motorists as Southbound I-35 from Owatonna to Albert Lea was listed as closed. From Thursday through 3:30 p.m. Friday, the Minnesota State Patrol reported 284 vehicles off the road, 49 crashes with damage, nine rollovers and two crashes with injuries in the Rochester District, which includes Mower, Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Olmsted, Rice, Steele, Wabasha and Winona County. On Friday, road conditions prompted all Minnesota State Patrol command staff to suspend daily duties to provide assistance on state highways.

Locally, residents first experienced drizzling rain, and later snow along with strong winds. It left many areas with the highest snow drifts they’ve seen in years.

Many residents in Geneva were without electricity for approximately 15 hours.

In Ellendale, a water main break was reported, with the water tower reportedly losing “a great deal” of water.

Ironically, Geneva residents had just received notice that their energy provider was going to be trimming trees where branches could fall and take out electrical lines. Mother Nature beat them to it in some places. On Thursday night, two large limbs on 1st Ave. SE in Geneva came tumbling down, taking with them electric lines and power in kind of a hop-scotch corner of town. Residents were to feel the fury of the cold, but because it was 9:30 at night, the only sensible thing to do after calling the power company was to extend their layers of clothes, blankets, etc. and keep warm in their beds.

As residents awoke the next morning, many still did not have electricity. Their homes were cold, there was no hot water. It almost made you feel abandoned on a desert island, except you were cold.

Before electricity was restored again Friday afternoon, the temperature in many of the homes had dropped to the mid-50s.

Through it all, there is one thing to look forward to. March is, historically, the snowiest month of the year in Minnesota.