Nearly 6 inches of snow fell hard and fast in Minnesota and Wisconsin on Sunday, creating hazardous roads and causing two major pileups involving dozens of vehicles.
Shortly after noon, the Minnesota State Patrol responded to a crash on I-694 in Shoreview involving 17 vehicles. No one sustained life-threatening injuries, but the road was closed temporarily.
Seven people were injured, one critically, hours later in western Wisconsin on Interstate 94 near Eau Claire, according to the State Patrol.
Seven semitrailer trucks and 33 other vehicles got caught up in the snowy wreck, closing the interstate in both directions.
In Minnesota, troopers responded to 375 crashes throughout the day. In addition, nearly 400 vehicles ran off the road or spun out. Twenty-two people were injured; no one was killed.
The snow fell throughout the day, with the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport recording 5.9 inches by Sunday evening. More is on the way. Heavy snow is expected Monday night into Tuesday morning, the National Weather Service said.
Wednesday appears to be the next snow-free day in the Twin Cities, but that's a brief reprieve. Still with more snow is expected Thursday and Friday.
Erin Adler • 612-673-1781
Paul Walsh• 612-673-4482
