(KTTC) – As the first major snowstorm hit southeastern Minnesota on Thursday, motorists had to face some potentially dangerous road conditions.

Semi driver Jeffery Brown said that while things got better throughout the day, I-90 was a dangerous place earlier Thursday.

“It used to be bad, it was really bad,” Brown said.

After driving past an overturned semi-truck, Brown says his job isn’t worth his life.

“If it gets bad, I’ll park it,” Brown added. “For me personally, it’s not worth dying for. I don’t love it that much.”

Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) spokesman Mike Dougherty said the midday snowfall was the biggest challenge for his crews.

“As it was coming down at a high rate of speed, I was seeing some readings of an inch per hour,” Dougherty said.

According to Dougherty, without the sun, nighttime roads are often less favorable.

“They are diminished; They become weaker as temperatures drop. So when you add salt, it doesn’t necessarily melt as quickly,” Dougherty said.

Utica resident Thomas Ward thanked plow drivers for clearing his small-town streets.

“Where we live, I see plows go by a few times a night,” Ward said.

As a native Minnesotan, Ward is always prepared for snow-covered roads.

“I have a four-wheel drive pickup truck, so I know how to drive in this weather,” Ward explained.

Dougherty announced that plowing operations will continue through Friday.

“We’re in cleanup mode,” Dougherty said. “It’s December. We still have a lot of winter ahead of us, so we will keep pushing the snow into the ditches.”

The Rochester Police Department (RPD) reported approximately 20 accidents in the Rochester area. Three of these were initially reported as accidents with personal injuries.

However, RPD said accident rates were down significantly compared to the previous winter weather event.

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