Late Winter Snowstorm Could Drop A Foot Of Snow On NE Minn.

DULUTH, Minn. (AP/WCCO) — A late winter storm is bringing heavy snow and high wind to parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Forecasters expect as much as a foot or snow to accumulate Wednesday through Thursday in northeastern Minnesota, northwestern Wisconsin and the U.P.

Duluth and Superior, Wisconsin public schools were among dozens preemptively canceling classes as rain changed to snow Wednesday morning.

The National Weather Service posted a winter storm warning through Thursday morning for the region, expecting travel conditions to deteriorate rapidly as heavy, wet snow coats roads and reduces visibility.

Winds higher than 50 mph prompted officials to close the Mackinac Bridge connecting Michigan's Upper and Lower peninsulas to all vehicles except passenger cars, passenger vans and empty pickup trucks Wednesday.

The St. Louis County Public Works Department says eight roads have been closed due to the combination of Wednesday's snow and rain, as well as spring snow melt. Those roads are considered to typically have low amounts of traffic.

The Minnesota State Patrol says there have been 13 crashes and 24 cars that have gone off the road in the Duluth area since Wednesday morning.

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