Snow emergencies declared across metro area, including Minneapolis and St. Paul

Krystal Frasier KSTP

Snow blankets the sidewalk on the morning of Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. Credit: KSTP-TV

As the season’s first significant snow falls across the Twin Cities metro, community leaders were quick to issue snow emergencies on Thursday morning.

Among those include the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. A full list of communities with snow emergencies can be found HERE.

The emergency in Minneapolis began at 12 p.m. Thursday, however, snow emergency parking rules won’t take effect until 9 p.m. Thursday. Crews will then begin working to plow streets as wide as possible, and city officials add the parking rules will last for three days after the snow emergency is declared.

In St. Paul, city leaders say their snow emergency will last until 9 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 23. Night plow routes will begin to be cleared starting Thursday night, and day plow routes will be cleared starting on Friday.

Full details for each city’s snow emergency can be found below. Residents are reminded to clear sidewalks and areas around fire hydrants and garbage bins, as well as storm drains. Recycling and garbage bins shouldn’t be put in the street, only on the boulevard or the end of a driveway. Minneapolis residents can also CLICK HERE to learn about free sand offered throughout the city.

The United States Postal Service also sent out a reminder on Thursday morning asking residents to keep septs, walkways and areas around mailboxes free of snow and ice. The fresh snowfall comes less than a week before Christmas, an extremely busy time for those delivering mail and packages.

Minneapolis

Starting at 9 p.m. Thursday, residents shouldn’t park on either side of a snow emergency route until 8 a.m. on Friday or until the street is fully plowed.

From 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, residents shouldn’t park on the even-numbered side of a non-snow emergency route until 8 p.m. Friday, until that side of the street is fully plowed. In addition, no parking should be done on either side of a parkway until 8 p.m. or until the parkway is fully plowed on Friday.

Meanwhile, residents shouldn’t park on the odd-numbered side of a non-snow emergency route from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, or until that side of the street is cleared.

CLICK HERE for a snow emergency parking map in Minneapolis

St. Paul

Night plow routes — marked with signs saying, “Night Plow Route” and “Night Plow Route This Side of Street” — will be cleared by 9 p.m. Vehicles that aren’t moved by that time may be ticketed and towed.

Meanwhile, day plow routes — which are not marked — will be cleared starting at 8 a.m. Friday. Residents should assume a roadway is considered a day plow route if there aren’t any night plow signs posted within the block, according to the city. Vehicles will be ticketed and towed if they aren’t moved from day plow routes during this timeframe.

CLICK HERE for a snow emergency parking map in St. Paul. There is free off-street parking during the first 24 hours of a snow emergency from 5 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Block 19 Ramp, located at the intersection of Jackson and 7th Street in the downtown area.