Vehicles involved in crash on I-90

Whiteout conditions blanketed Mower County for much of Thursday afternoon and could’ve been a factor in an extensive crash on Interstate 90 east of Austin.

According to Mower County Sheriff Terese Amazi, deputies and the Minnesota State Patrol responded to the crash at about 3:30 p.m. Thursday near the County Road 19 overpass. Two semi trucks were possibly involved in the accident, and several vehicles were reportedly involved, as well. Amazi said whiteout conditions were likely a factor; however, she doesn’t believe anybody was injured in the pile-up. The Minnesota State Patrol was in charge at the scene, but an accident report has not been completed.

And the region isn’t clear from nasty conditions yet.

The National Weather Service in La Crosse, Wis., has issued a winter weather advisory for Mower, Dodge, Fillmore and Olmsted counties from 3 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. The weather service expects about 2 to 4 inches of snow in Mower County late tonight through Saturday, with most of the accumulation between 6 a.m. and noon Saturday.

Visibility should be better today, with isolated patches of blowing snow, but wind gusts up to 30 mph during the day and evening Saturday could cause whiteout conditions again.

The NWS expects wind chills to reach 10 degrees below zero tonight, and 5 below Saturday morning. Sunday should be better, though, with a high around 33, little wind and mostly sunny skies.

On Thursday, Amazi had advised against any traveling that afternoon and evening. Winds up to 40 mph caused whiteout conditions throughout the county.

—Matt Peterson contributed to this report.