Aerial Lift Bridge Operators Warn Of Falling Snow Hazard
What a week it has been! The Northland was hit with a pretty monster snowstorm that is still happening at the time of writing this Thursday (December 15th). So far, parts of the Northland have seen nearly two feet of snow and counting.
The massive snowstorm closed many schools in the area and of course, many local businesses. Bentleyville closed for the night, along with Spirit Mountain closing for the day. These are just a few examples of many.
It was (and still is) a snowstorm for the books! At one point, I heard some thunder while it was snowing. I thought I was hearing things but it turns out it was a phenomenon called thundersnow. One Northlander even caught it on camera!
As the snow slowly tapers off into the weekend, we will have to start bracing ourselves for another winter-related issue: a nice blast of cold, arctic air. We are looking at a cold blast starting late this weekend and peaking early next week.
Even when the snow stops falling, we will be dealing with the aftermath for some time. That is why operators with the Aerial Lift Bridge have issued a warning to locals to be cautious if out and about in the area.
According to their statement, there is a major hazard of falling wet snow from the upper span of the Aerial Lift Bridge. They shared that this would be the case throughout the duration of the storm, which is going to be the case through the end of the week.
Wondering what exactly this means? Snow sticks to the upper span of the Aerial Lift Bridge during storms like this and at times, falls in big clumps or full sheets at any given time, meaning there is a danger to those walking on the sidewalks below.
The City Of Duluth is asking residents to avoid walking near the bridge or across the bridge if possible. If you are driving across the Aerial Lift Bridge for whatever reason, make sure to be aware that there could be falling snow and it could do damage to you or your vehicle.
Something similar happened to a motorist traveling across the Bong Bridge on Wednesday (December 14th). A local was taking his dog to the vet for an appointment that they had been waiting for for awhile. While driving back home, a sheet of ice hit the windshield of the car and completely shattered it.
I never even thought of this being a winter hazard so I will definitely be more aware of this type of hazard for the future! It looks like this storm is going down as one for the history books and certainly one I will never forget.