FARGO, N.D. — Heavy snow driven by wind gusting to 40 mph brought parts of the upper Midwest to a halt Tuesday, closing courts, schools, businesses and two major highways.
Up to a foot of snow was forecast Tuesday for parts of eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota.
The National Weather Service posted blizzard warnings and winter-storm warnings for wide areas of North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota. All three states reported school closings.
North Dakota officials closed Interstate 29 from the Canadian border to the South Dakota state line. Earlier, Minnesota and North Dakota authorities shut down a 130-mile stretch of Interstate 94 from Jamestown, N.D., to Fergus Falls, Minn.
Truck driver Kyle Kraft had planned a quick trip from Prince ville, Ill., to Fargo and back Tuesday but had to pull into a hotel parking lot after I-94 was closed.
“The truck stops are jam-packed, with no place to park,” Kraft said.
Kraft had packed only his shaving kit. He said he was relieved to discover a shopping mall across the street from his parking place — but it was shut down because of the storm.
“I guess you have to take it all in stride. I don’t get paid enough to get upset about it,” he said.
It was the worst storm of the winter, said Clay County, Minn., Sheriff Bill Bergquist. He said plows were pulled off most county roads because visibility was zero.
He said the storm even shut down a popular hangout known for its trademark frozen desserts, the Moorhead Dairy Queen.
“It must be bad. No one wants their Blizzard today,” Bergquist said.
The Weather Service said wind was blowing at 30 mph at Fargo, with gusts to 40 mph. The late-afternoon temperature was zero with a wind-chill factor of 24 below.
Police in South Dakota said icy pavement likely caused an accident Tuesday that killed one man on a rural road.
