Is There A Snow Emergency in Minneapolis?

Update 11:33 a.m. 3/5/13: Minneapolis has declared a snow emergency. Do you know what the snow emergency parking rules are? If not, here's a link to the city impound lot's website.

Update 9:26 a.m. 3/5/13: Afternoon kindergarten has been canceled at all Minneapolis Public Schools, according to an announcement posted on the district's website. Community trips, Hi-Five, Early Childhood Special Education, and Early Childhood Family Education classes are also canceled.

Update 7:21 a.m. 3/5/13: So far, no snow emergency has been declared in Minneapolis, and the Minneapolis Public Schools are going to be operating on a normal schedule.

According to the district's Facebook page, though, some buses may be slightly delayed by the snow and "parents and students should use best judgment for the proper attire of their personal situation, the best times and methods of transport for arriving to school on time, and exercise extra caution and considerations in traveling to and from school."

Annunciation School is closed today, according to the school's Facebook page. Lake Country School has not yet posted an announcement 

Original Story 5:15 p.m. 3/4/13: 

According to the National Weather Service, the winter storm system passing through Southwest Minneapolis Monday is slated to drop four to eight inches of snow on our heads—and roads.

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As of Monday afternoon, no snow emergency had yet been declared in Minneapolis, but a second band of snow forecasted to hit Monday night may lay down four to eight additional inches.

"Due to the current snowfall, crews continue to plow and treat city streets. The City is NOT declaring a Snow Emergency Monday, March 4, so normal parking rules apply. However, weather forecasts predict additional snow, so please check back tomorrow for updated information," cautioned the official City of Minneapolis Snow Emergency Facebook page.

Patch will keep this page updated with snow emergency information as often as we can tonight, but you can find out if a snow emergency has been declared straight for the horse's mouth on the City of Minneapolis website, or you can sign up for the city's snow emergency email or text-message alerts.

During a snowstorm, city crews need to plow more than 1,000 miles of streets from curb to curb, or 3,200 “lane miles” of streets that need to be plowed. According to city spokesperson Matt Laible, that's enough to plow a one-lane road from Minneapolis to Anchorage, Alaska.

"When a Snow Emergency is declared, parking rules go into effect so plows can clear the streets and fire trucks, police cars, ambulances and other vehicles can then get around and park," Laible wrote in an email announcement during the last snow emergency. "Plowing the streets completely requires vehicles parked on streets to move. It’s in everyone’s best interest to follow the parking rules so plows can do the best job possible, and folks can avoid a ticket and tow."

To find out more about the city's snow emergency parking regulations, check out this guide from the City of Minneapolis.