Weather shuts down major North Dakota and Minnesota highways

It may be spring according to the calendar, but the weather in parts of North Dakota and Minnesota feels more like winter with blizzard conditions reported.

The National Weather Service in Bismarck, N.D., reported up to 1 foot of snow in the Jamestown, N.D. area with much of the state under a no-travel advisory as of Thursday morning.

Interstate 96 from Bismarck, N.D., to Fargo, N.D., and several state highways were forced to close, due to low visibility and icy conditions, according to the North Dakota Department of Transportation.

Interstate 29 to the Canadian border was reopened this morning, but many secondary roads remain blocked or impassable due to snowfall and high winds, NDDOT said in a news release.

“Motorists are not allowed to travel on a closed road due to life-threatening conditions,” NDDOT said. “Vehicles may become stranded and emergency responders may not be able to reach you safely.”

Much of the state remains in a No Travel Advisory.

Interstate 94 from Bismarck to Fargo and several state highways across the state remain closed at this time.

Find the latest road condition information at https://t.co/EXHjjz5pmB or on the #NDRoads app. #KnowBeforeYouGo #ndwx pic.twitter.com/4JqvZKc8Vr

— NDDOT (@NorthDakotaDOT) April 6, 2023

Minnesota has lifted its no-travel ban, but whiteout conditions were still reported in parts of the state including near Brainerd, Minn., within the last 24 hours, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

“We ask motorists to slow down and drive with caution,” Jamie Hukriede, MnDOT assistant district 3 engineer for maintenance, said in a news release.

TRAVEL ADVISORY: White-out conditions along Hwy 371 near Hole-in-the-Day Bay, Brainerd. Drivers can be caught off-guard when conditions on other parts of the highway are normal. Then, sporadic wind gusts blow snow across Gull Lake creating blinding conditions. Please slow down. pic.twitter.com/JcqYBhjlLk

— MnDOT District 3 (@MnDOTcentral) April 5, 2023

The latest travel information in North Dakota can be found at Travel.dot.nd.gov.

Minnesota road conditions are available on the Minnesota 511 website. LL

More Land Line news coverage by state.