Another Winter Storm Hits The Midwest

Another winter storm system blanketed most of the Plains and Upper Midwest with snow and ice, with most of the snowfall in Minnesota and the Dakotas.

Hundreds of flights were canceled Sunday at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, officials said.

School systems that weren't closed for Presidents Day (Monday) were closed because of the storm.

Interstates looked like ice rinks and officials warned people to stay put as winds whipped the snow and reduced visibility. The snow began falling Sunday morning and continued until past midnight into Monday, a federal holiday.

In downtown Minneapolis, inline skating events at the Metrodome was canceled Sunday because of travel conditions and heating applied to the roof to melt snow created uncomfortably warm conditions for skating, an official said.

Up to a foot of snow fell in South Dakota and around 10 inches in southwest North Dakota, weather officials said. Portions of Nebraska, Iowa and Wisconsin were plagued by rain and ice glazing the highways and making travel treacherous. The icy mix was expected to push north and east Monday across southern Michigan, northern Ohio and northwestern Pennsylvania, AccuWeather.com said.

Areas north of Chicago were expecting accumulating sleet and rain before it changed over to just rain, forecasters said.

The expected big snow failed to materialize in the Milwaukee area, which had more rain, sleet and freezing rain, making driving conditions sketchy, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. Snow, freezing rain, sleet, and ice were expected to affect the central and northern part of Wisconsin Monday as well.

Metrodome Roof Collapses in Minneapolis

Information out of Minnesota this morning says the roof of the Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis has apparently collapsed. Witnesses say the roof is no longer visible above the dome's concrete bowl.

The Vikings were to host the New York Giants in an important NFC game today, but due to the winter weather, the Giants have been stuck for a day in Kansas City.  On Sunday, word came out that the game would be moved to Monday night.  Now, it is not known where, or when this game will take place.

The game should not be played in New York, that would give the Giants 9 home games, when every other team has 8.

This was a picture from 2007 when the roof deflated.

Update on Sunday, December 12, 2010 at 9:00AM by Rick C.Limpert

Here is video shot by KARE 11 in the Twin Cities early this morning showing the roof, or lack of one at the Metrodome.  Officials are calling it a partial collaspe.  It began to collaspe early this morning, has to be due to the 18+ inches of snow.

Update on Sunday, December 12, 2010 at 11:04AM by Rick C.Limpert

ESPN reporting that there are at least 2 tears in the roof of the Metrodome.  The Vikings/Giants game will not be played in Minnesota.  The game will be played Monday Night, at a site to be determined.  Possibilities include Detroit, Indianapolis or New Orleans.  I would guess Detroit would be the most likely location.

Update on Sunday, December 12, 2010 at 2:34PM by Rick C.Limpert

Here is an even more dramatic video of the roff of the Metrodome tearing and collasping because of the snow.  It was shot from a camera inside the dome.