Late season blizzard shuts down SE Minnesota

Just when everyone thought the snow was gone for the winter season, a blizzard that swept across southeast Minnesota Sunday and Monday shut down schools, churches, and just about everything else.
By Sunday afternoon, school districts across the area, including Byron, Hayfield, Kasson-Mantorville and Triton, made the call to cancel school on Monday.
“Dodge County has received at least 14” of snow, along with strong winds, and many roads across the county are currently impassable,” Superintendent Beth Giese wrote on her Facebook page. “ Emergency crews are reporting numerous vehicles stuck on roadways and in ditches, and even some first responder vehicles have had difficulty getting through. More snow is expected, and the National Weather Service indicates winds will continue to increase.”
The next day, Giese would find herself stuck in a ditch.
Around 6 p.m. on Sunday night, Dodge County Sheriff Scott Rose announced on Facebook that county plows would be pulled off the road until 5 a.m. Monday, and that travel was not advised.
“MNDOT, MSP, and DCSO advising that travel is not advised on any Dodge County roadway tonight,” Rose wrote. “Wind gusts continue to create near whiteout conditions in many areas with blowing and drifting snow causing visibility to be reduced to 1/10th of a mile or less.”
“Bottom line is...if you choose to go out on the roadways tonight you risk your safety and ours,” he added. “We don’t want you to end up going in the ditch or worse, and please understand you may be stuck there for a long time before anyone can get to you to help you.”
According to KAAL-TV, Kasson received the most snow in Dodge County, with 17.5 inches. Dodge Center received 15 inches, and Mantorville received 14 inches.