JPS, St. John's to dismiss early

Jamestown Public Schools and St. John's Academy are dismissing students at 2 p.m. today because of weather.

City buses will still run.

State officials have issued a no travel advisory for most of southern North Dakota due to blowing snow.

The Transportation Department said snowplows have pulled off the roads because of zero visibility and heavy snow. The worst conditions are south of Interstate 94.

The no travel advisory includes Highway 281 from Interstate 94 to the South Dakota border, according to the North Dakota Highway Patrol, as well as the cities of Selfridge, Linton, Edgeley, Ellendale, Lisbon, Wahpeton and surrounding areas.

The Highway Patrol responded to at least one accident near Jamestown, the patrol said. The Jamestown Police Department has also responded to one accident as of about 10 a.m. today, police said.

Conditions near Jamestown are expected to continue until about noon today, according to the National Weather Service, with snowfall accumulations totaling 3 to 6 inches.

Northeast winds of 15 to 30 mph will cause some blowing and drifting snow reducing visibilities to less than three-quarters of a mile and producing wind chill values to 20 below, NWS said.

Near Wahpeton, two snowplow operators pulled off at a rest area but said they could travel only a few miles an hour and almost missed it.

Snowfall totals reported as of 7 a.m. include 15 inches in Carson, 13 inches at Fort Yates, 5.5 inches in Linton and 4.6 inches in Bismarck.

Sun reporter Katie Ryan contributed to this report.

Tags: interstate 94, north dakota highway patrol, news, snow, weather, jamestown, edgeley, ellendale, lisbon