— Snow fell throughout the day Tuesday, blanketing west central Minnesota in a roaring white trip.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation placed several west central Minnesota counties (Chippewa, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Meeker, McLeod, Murray, Redwood, Renville, Pipestone and Yellow Medicine) under no-travel advisories on Tuesday. Tuesday afternoon as snowfall continued to create dangerous blackout conditions on roads and highways throughout the area.
According to the release, a no travel advisory means that the road has deteriorated and/or visibility has been reduced to the point that it is very dangerous to travel; there are reports of intermittent blackout conditions; and some weather conditions may be severe enough that road treatments are not effective and the conditions may be life-threatening for stranded travelers.
A truck with a snow shovel begins the process of clearing the parking lot at the Verizon store on First Street South in Willmar on Tuesday afternoon, January 3, 2023.
Kelly Boldan/West Central Tribune
An unidentified driver walks back to his car, which is stuck in a snowbank on Willmar Avenue Southwest, near the BNSF rail junction in Willmar, on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.
Kelly Boldan/West Central Tribune
Snow from the January 3, 2023 blizzard was at least 6 inches deep by midafternoon on this section of Second Avenue Northwest, looking toward Kandiyohi County Road 5 in northwest Willmar.
Linda Vanderwerf/West Central Tribune
Looking north along 31st Street Northwest in Willmar, tire tracks indicate deepening snow mid-afternoon on January 3, 2023, in a New Years blizzard.
Linda Vanderwerf/West Central Tribune
Snow falls steadily as one looks across a field towards the east facing two apartment complexes in southeast Willmar on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.
Dale Morin/West Central Tribune
Several inches of snow cover the parking lot of the Herzog Apartment Complex on Kandiyohi County Road 5 in Willmar, with more continuing to fall during snowy conditions on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.
Kit Grode/West Central Tribune
A worker on a Kubota skid steer clears snow from the parking lot of the Herzog apartment complex on Kandiyohi County Road 5 in Willmar as snow continues to fall on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.
Kit Grode/West Central Tribune
Heavy snow falls just before 2 p.m. Tuesday, January 3, 2023, looking west from the 700 block of First Street East in Litchfield, Minnesota.
Jennifer Kotila/West Central Tribune
Heavy snow just before 2 pm on Tuesday, January 3, 2023, looking east in the 700 block of First Street East in Litchfield, Minnesota.
Jennifer Kotila/West Central Tribune
The winter storm of January 3, 2023 brought several inches of snow to Olivia. The wind also caused the wind and drifting snow. Visibility was reduced on Walnut Avenue in Olivia.
Shelby Lindrud/West Central Tribune
Looking west on Walnut Avenue in Olivia Tuesday, one couldn’t see much further than the end of the road. The winter storm of January 3, 2023 brought several inches of snow to the city and the wind caused reduced visibility and drift.
Shelby Lindrud/West Central Tribune
Clouds of snow fall from the roof of the Olivia Nursing and Restorative Therapy building across from Walnut Avenue on January 3, 2023.
Shelby Lindrud/West Central Tribune
A snowfall Tuesday marks a calm, snowy start to the new year for Willmar and the rest of Minnesota on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.
Dale Morin/West Central Tribune
A look at US Highway 71 from 19th Avenue Southeast in Willmar shows streets covered in snow on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.
Dale Morin/West Central Tribune
Snow continues to fall Tuesday afternoon along Willmar Avenue Southwest in Willmar.
Kelly Boldan/West Central Tribune
A tractor moves snow outside the Jennie-O Turkey Store headquarters in southwest Willmar on January 3, 2023, as snow continues to fall.
Kelly Boldan/West Central Tribune
A pedestrian follows the plowed path on Prentice Street in Granite Falls mid-afternoon on Tuesday, January 3, 2023, after more than 6 inches of snow fell.
Tom Cherveny/West Central Tribune
A Minnesota Department of Transportation snowplow driver keeps the intersection of Minnesota Highway 23 and US Highway 212 open in Granite Falls as a winter storm blanketed the region on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.
Tom Cherveny/West Central Tribune
It was an “all hands on deck” situation to keep up with the heavy snowfall on Tuesday, January 3, 2023 as a road grader goes into duty to keep US 212 freeway open in Yellow Medicine County.
Tom Cherveny/West Central Tribune
An unidentified man pushes a car stuck in the snow Tuesday afternoon at an intersection on Business 71 in north Willmar.
Kelly Boldan/West Central Tribune
A car became stuck after sliding into a ditch Tuesday afternoon along Business 71 in north Willmar.
Kelly Boldan/West Central Tribune
Let the fight begin. A Granite Falls resident begins shoveling snow from his driveway Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023, after a winter storm dumped several inches of the heavy, fluffy substance across the region.
Tom Cherveny/West Central Tribune
A four-wheel drive provided this driver with the best option for navigating the snow-filled streets of Granite Falls on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.
