Why One Inch of Snow is Way More Dangerous Than a Snowstorm in Minnesota

When it snows, no matter the amount, it seems like someone in Minnesota ends up in a ditch. You don't want to be caught off-guard when that happens! So the Minnesota State Patrol has a list of things you need to make sure you have in your car for this winter in case the worst happens.

ALSO READ: MN Town Named One of the Most Beautiful Winter Towns in the US

Essential Items to Have in Your Car in the Winter

Let's see how many you have!

Boots, jacket, and gloves

Blanket

Phone charger

Flashlight

Water and snacks

Jumper cables

Basic tools

Sand or cat litter

Red bandana, small orange cones, or some other way to get other's attention

Pencil and paper to leave a note if necessary

Minnesotans Woke Up to Snow Today

This morning, a lot of Minnesota woke up to a dusting of snow, maybe even an inch of fresh snow on the ground. It's a good reminder to check and make sure you have your winter survival kit in your car and ready to go.

That inch of snow can also be deceivingly dangerous, though!

At least just an inch of snow doesn't require you to shovel a path out of your driveway to get to work. Some people can't even go to work when there's a snowstorm because of where they live. The plows haven't made it to them yet!

However, one inch of snow can be WAY more dangerous than a full-blown snowstorm.

Many Crashes on Minnesota Roads This Morning

The crashes from this morning speak for themselves. Our news station reported multiple injuries from crashes across Minnesota this morning.

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The Minnesota State Patrol public information officer released a few stats this morning that across Minnesota between midnight and 10:30 AM today there were 177 property damage crashes, 15 injury crashes, 39 vehicles off-road, and 6 spinouts. Yikes.

One Inch of Snow is More Dangerous than a Snowstorm

One of the obvious reasons why one inch of snow is more dangerous is because during a snowstorm many people will opt to stay at home. Not going on the roads at all is obviously the safest option.

But when one inch falls most people will still hit the roads because "it's not that bad".

The Weather Channel spoke with Walker Ashley, associate professor of meteorology at Northern Illinois University, about this. She said, "'minor' winter events are more deadly ... than notable winter storms due to heavier traffic on roads and possibly more dangerous road and visibility conditions than perceived by drivers."

A small amount of snow can make us think the roads are still fine when in reality they're still very slick and dangerous. There also is the possibility, depending on the temperature, of a small amount of snow melting, then freezing as ice, then fresh snow covering it. That's also quite dangerous.

I also found an interesting chart from 2017 from the Milwaukee National Weather Service that shows that crashes dramatically increase when only 1-2 inches of snow have fallen

So be safe out there, be patient, and don't forget to turn your lights on.