Southern Minnesota Schools Close Ahead Of Winter Storm

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Some schools in southern Minnesota will be closed Friday in
anticipation of a winter storm forecast to sweep across the Upper Midwest.

School districts including Rochester, Austin and Fairmont already have called
off classes.

After a string of record warm days, winter is expected to make a comeback,
bringing heavy snow and blizzard conditions to southern Minnesota through
west-central Wisconsin Thursday night through Friday.

The National Weather Service says snowfall totals likely will exceed 12 inches
from far southern Minnesota, including the Interstate 90 corridor, into western
Wisconsin.

The state Department of Transportation is advising no travel Thursday night
into Friday night in sections across southern Minnesota.