Severe Snow Storms belt US Midwest
Pastor Dale Morgan
Severe Snow Storms belt US Midwest*
Near-whiteout conditions reported; up to 9 inches has fallen.
Updated 11/10/2006 3:01 PM ET
DES MOINES (AP) — Heavy snow blanket parts of Iowa and Minnesota on
Friday, closing and delaying some schools.
Northern Iowa got up to nine inches of snow, while Mankato, in southern
Minnesota, reported 7 inches. Severe thunderstorms in eastern Iowa
produced dime- and nickel-sized hail.
In the northeastern Iowa town of Emmetsburg, the snowfall came along
with thunder and lightning, in a phenomenon called thundersnow, said
Craig Cogil, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in
Johnston.
"We checked in up there and they had 3½ inches, and an hour later they
had 7," he said.
The heavy snow was expected to begin breaking up by afternoon, Cogil
said, but some area schools closed for the day or opened late because of
the weather.
In Emmetsburg, residents were still busy, said Connie Boone, manager of
a Casey's General Store.
"People are just as active because now they have to get out and shovel,"
she said.
The heavy snow passed south of the Twin Cities, which only got a few
light flurries.