Minnesota hit with 18 inches of snow

PELICAN RAPIDS, Minn., April 26 (UPI) -- Some Minnesotans woke up Saturday to find 18 inches of snow outside their windows, meteorologists said.

Hit hardest was Pelican Rapids, while Brandon reported 15.5 inches and Donnelly got 12 inches, the Star Tribune in Minneapolis reported.

The late-spring snowstorm was blamed for slippery roads that sent 100 vehicles off the road, including several jack-knifed semi-trailer rigs, and left two people dead in a head-on crash near Brophy Park in Douglas County, the newspaper said.

The snow was coming down so hard plow crews couldn't keep up and Interstate 94 was closed for several hours before finally reopening at about 4:30 p.m. Saturday, the state patrol said.

The storm petered out close to the Twin Cities, with about 2 inches reported in the western suburbs, said Tony Zaleski, National Weather Service meteorologist in Chanhassen.

Zaleski ventured the storm was winter's last gasp in Minnesota.

"Old Man Winter just died a slow death," he said.