YOU'VE GOT TO SEE THIS.
NOW FROM MINNESOTA'S MOST
WATCHED STATION THIS IS WCCO4
NEWS.
GOOD EVENING, THANKS FOR
JOINING US TONIGHT.
A BLIZZARD IS BEARING DOWN ON
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA RIGHT NOW.
HEAVY SNOW IS ALREADY FALLING
IN ROCHESTER AND ACROSS
SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA.
CONDITIONS ARE CHANGING
RAPIDEDLY.
MNDOT IS URGING EVERYONE TO STAY
YOU'VE THE ROADS.
MANY SCHOOLS ALREADY CLOSED FOR
TOMORROW INCLUDING HERE IN
ROCHESTER.
WE HAVE ALL OF THE CLOSINGS ON
THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN THERE.
WE HAVE TEAM COVERAGE TONIGHT OF
THE WINTER STORM.
CHRIS SHAFFER JOINS US NOW WITH
WHAT WE CAN EXPECT INTO THE
MORNING HOURS.
CHRIS IN.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS
SNOWSTORM SINCE LAST THURSDAY
AND IT'S FINALLY ARRIVED.
YOU CAN SEE HOW MASSIVE THE
SYSTEM IS.
THERE'S PLENTY OF MOISTURE
STREAMING UP FROM THE SOUTH.
IT'S SOUTHERN MINNESOTA THAT'S
BEING TARGETED.
CLOSER LOOK THROUGH ROCHESTER
SOME HEAVY BANDS OF SNOW.
HERE IN THE METRO IT'S TRYING TO
GET HERE.
IT'S JUST NOT MAKING IT.
SLOWLY CREEPING TO THE NORTH.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS
ADJUSTED ITS WARNINGS.
YOU CAN SEE THE ADVISORY WHERE
THERE ONCE WAS A WINTER STORM
WARNING.
BUT THE WHITE SHADED COUNTIES IS
A BLIZZARD WARNING.
THE WIND IS QUITE STRONG ALREADY
VISIBILITY DOWN UNDER A MILE IN
MANY PLACES.
I'LL LET YOU KNOW HOW THIS PLAYS
OUT TONIGHT INTO TOMORROW AND
THIS WEEKEND.
WE'LL SEE YOU THEN, THANK
YOU, CHRIS.
THE TWIN CITIES WON'T SEE A
LOT BUT SOUTH EASTERN MINNESOTA
HAS BEEN PREPARING FOR UP TO A
FOOT OF SNOW.
WE CONTINUE OUR TEAM COVERAGE
LIVE IN ROCHESTER.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S REALLY COMING
DOWN THERE, JOHN?
Reporter: IT REALLY IS,
FRANK.
A COUPLE OF HOURS AGO WE HAD
THIS SNOW AND RAIN MIX, IT
WASN'T MUCH, IT WENT AWAY FOR A
LITTLE WHILE.
NOW WITHIN THE LAST 45 MINUTES
TO AN HOUR IT'S REALLY COMING
DOWN ON ME, BEHIND ME THIS IS
HIGHWAY 52 IN ROCHESTER RIGHT
BEHIND ME.
MAYBE THE BEST INDICATION IS
SHOWING YOU HOW HARD THE SNOW IS
COMING DOWN AS THIS KIND OF
HIGHWAY LIGHT.
YOU CAN SEE THE SNOW THERE.
WHATEVER THIS TURNS INTO
OVERNIGHT PEOPLE IN ROCHESTER
SAY THEY'RE READY.
PEOPLE COMING IN LOOKING FOR
POTTING SOIL, GRASS,SEED.
A FUNNY THING ABOUT THIS
FEBRUARY.
CUSTOMERS WERE ASKING ABOUT
GARDEN SEEDS MORE THAN SNOW
BLOWERS.
ONE BIG SNOWSTORM COULD CHANGE
THE.
IF PEOPLE COULD STILL COME
OUT WE MIGHT HAVE A RUSH THEN
WHEN THEY REALIZE IT ACTUALLY IS
GOING TO SNOW.
ROCHESTER SCHOOLS ARE ALREADY
CANCELED.
MAKING FOOD STORES A BUSY PLACE.
I HOPE NOT TO LEAVE MY HOME
TOMORROW OR THE DAY AFTER.
IT'S A LOT OF ICE.
SO KIDS ARE HOME WE'RE GOING THE
STOCK UP, EXCEPT THE A LOT OF
GROCERIES AND PREPARE -- GET A
LOT OF GROCERIES AND PREPARE TO
HUNKER DOWN.
MNDOT SAYS THEY'VE BEEN READY
FOR DAYS.
IT'S LOOKING TO HIT US IN THE
MIDDLE THROUGH OUR DISTRICT IN
ROCHESTER DOWN ON I-90.
THURSDAY EVENING MORE THAN
100 SNOWPLOWS TOOK TURNS FILLING
UP ON SALT.
MORE THAN 200 DRIVERS WORKING
12-HOUR SHIFTS WILL HELP WITH
WHATEVER COMES THEIR WAY.
A WAKE UP CALL FROM MOTHER
NATURE TO PROVE THAT WINTER
ISN'T OVER.
IT'S AN EERIE CALM BECAUSE
THE TRUCKS ARE ALL FIXED UP.
ANY ISSUES ARE TAKEN CARE OF.
EVERYBODY HAS BEEN ALERTED THAT
WE'RE GOING TO SPLIT SHIFTS.
AND AGAIN MNDOT ADVISING NO
TRAVEL ON THE ROADWAYS TONIGHT
AS WELL.
THERE IS A BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT
HAPPENING HERE IN ROCHESTER THIS
WEEKEND.
IT'S A BIG 1, 260 TEAMS.
A LOT OF THOSE TEAMS CAME IN
TONIGHT TO TRY AND FAIT STORM.
IT'S STILL ON THIS WEEKEND.
A LOT OF THOSE TEAMS COMING IN
TONIGHT A LOT OF HOTELS ALMOST
AT FULL CAPACITY TONIGHT
ALREADY, FRANK.
THAT'LL BE TOUGH TO FIND A
ROOM DOWN THERE.
JOHN, LIVE IN ROCHESTER, THANK
YOU VERY MUCH.
GET YOUR FIRST CHECK ON THE