Dec 16, 2008 - 06:54:39 CST
FARGO (AP) - Blizzard conditions gave way to bitter cold in North Dakota as roads opened and residents dug out.Monday morning lows in North Dakota included 25 below zero in Dickinson and Williston. In the smaller communities of Bowbells and Berthold, to the northwest, the wind chill factor was reported at around 50 below.
Interstates 94 and 29 reopened in eastern North Dakota but drivers were still advised to be careful.
In Williston, Penny Groth said the Gramma Sharon's Family Restaurant she owns had been closed since Saturday night because of the snow and cold. Williston got 13.8 inches of snow from the weekend blizzard.
"There wasn't anything moving. Most of the churches canceled services," Groth said.
The weather led to problems with the exhaust system at the restaurant, she said, but it was fixed Monday morning and Groth was ready for customers.
"We've had people calling," she said. "They're going to want hot soup and hot coffee."
Larry Boulger of Boulger Funeral Home in Fargo said it took him about an hour to clear snow from the sidewalks in front of his business. He said the storm reminded him of the winter weather in 1997, when the city received a record 117 inches of snow.
"Most things are slowly getting started again now," Boulger said Monday morning. "Luckily, we have no services this morning."
There was some relief in sight. The weather service cancelled a wind chill advisory Monday afternoon, saying the winds would diminish to less than 10 mph.
"We may hit minus 9," said meteorologist Joshua Scheck, at the National Weather Service office in Bismarck. By Wednesday, he said, "we should be in positive single digits."
The storm was blamed for at least two deaths in Minnesota.
Capt. Joel Brott of the Sherburne County sheriff's office said snow-covered and icy roads contributed to a two-crash Sunday that killed Jason Patrick Long, 35, whose hometown was not immediately available. Brott said Long's car was southbound on County Road 79 near Big Lake when it spun out of control and was struck by an oncoming car in the northbound lane. He died at the scene. Four people in the second car suffered minor injuries.
The Stearns County sheriff's office said a Freeport man died Sunday night after the farm tractor he was using to clear snow from his driveway rolled on top of him. The tractor had become stuck in a ditch, and a neighbor was helping Anthony Elmer Janke, 37, pull the tractor out with another vehicle. But a wheel broke off the tractor, the sheriff's office said, causing the tractor to roll over further and trap Janke underneath around 8:45 p.m. Janke was pronounced dead at Melrose Area Hospital.
Bono wrote on Dec 16, 2008 6:18 PM:
jw wrote on Dec 16, 2008 2:00 PM:
abc wrote on Dec 16, 2008 7:12 AM:
The announcement that Bismarck schools would be open yesterday morning was posted at 7:47 a.m.
It kind of feels like "bad manners" to complain about something that is free, but we need you Bismarck Tribune.
Thank you. "
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