Upper Midwest Grinds to Halt Under 28-Inch Snow

A “nasty” storm virtually shut down the upper Midwest today, as up to 28 inches of wind-driven snow closed airports and highways and idled schools, businesses and government offices from the Dakotas into Michigan.

Ice and snow ripped down power lines, blacking out thousands of customers across the region, and the roof of the Silverdome at Pontiac, Mich., collapsed for the second time in 10 years.

Snow driven by wind gusting to 60 m.p.h. cut visibility and drifted over many roads as fast as they could be plowed, stranding scores of travelers.

A blizzard warning was posted over much of eastern North Dakota, and winter storm warnings were issued across southern and eastern South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, much of Michigan, and northeastern New York state.

Winter’s Worst

“It’s the worst of the winter,” said Jim Berry, superintendent of streets at Battle Creek, Mich.

“It’s one of the worst we’ve had in several years,” said National Weather Service spokesman Dean Nesley in Minneapolis, where 13 inches of snow fell by this morning.

Airports were closed at Minneapolis-St. Paul, Detroit and Milwaukee, and every airport in South Dakota was closed except at Sioux Falls. Both interstate highways crisscrossing South Dakota were ordered closed across most of the state.

Minnesota declared a day off for most of 35,000 state employees, and South Dakota state offices in Pierre were closed until noon.

Wind up to 50 m.p.h. across Wisconsin whipped a mere three-inch snowfall at Green Bay into drifts three feet deep, the weather service said.

Skyscraper Ice Falls

Along the southern edge of the storm, snow and rain iced highways, branches and power lines in Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois and into Pennsylvania. Chicago police barricaded sidewalks as sheets of ice fell from skyscrapers.

“It’s real nasty,” said Hanson County Sheriff Robert Brown at Alexandria, S.D.

Two motorists were reported missing in eastern South Dakota and northwestern Minnesota, said John Storley of the Minn-Dak chapter of the Red Cross at Fargo, N.D.