Staff photo by Fritz Busch Amid wind-driven, falling snow, a pedestrian waits for traffic to clear before crossing Broadway at 1st Street N. Tuesday morning. The National Weather Service forecasted three to five inches of snow to continue through 3 p.m. Tuesday. West northwest winds were forecast at 20-30 mph with higher gusts possible Wednesday.

NEW ULM — After a number of milder days, Old Man Winter returned in the middle of Monday night with heavy, wet snow in southwest and south central Minnesota.

Winds of 20-30 mph arrived later Tuesday morning, whipping the falling snow that continued into the afternoon.

The National Weather Services (NWS) issued a winter storm warning until 9 p.m. Tuesday with snow accumulations of four to seven inches forecast for parts of south central, east central and central Minnesota. The NWS forecast five to eight inches of snow in the Twin Cities metro area.

“Travel could be very difficult. If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food and water in your vehicle in case of emergency,” read the NWS warning.

The Minnesota State Patrol reported 139 crashes, seven with injuries, no serious/fatal crashes, 53 vehicle spinout/off the road three jackknifed semis from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Tuesday.

The Minnesota State Patrol reported a two-vehicle crash in snow and ice on U.S. Highway 169, Oshawa Township, Nicollet County.

Maranda L. Wight, 37, N. Mankato, was driving a 2015 Chevy Spark northbound on Highway 169 and Hayden M. Barr, 19, St. Peter, was driving a 2005 Chevy Avalanche northbound on Highway 169 when they collided. Wight was transported to Mayo Clinic Health System Mankato with non-life threatening injuries. Barr was not injured. Both drivers wore seat belts. Alcohol was not involved. The Nicollet County Sheriff’s Office, Nicollet Fire Dept., Mayo Ambulance and the Minnesota Department of Transportation assisted.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). reported plows were out pre-treating roads ahead of Tuesday’s snowfall.

Light snow was reported on State Highway 15 between Winthrop and New Ulm. Compacted snow was reported on U.S. Highway 14 between New Ulm and Sleepy Eye and on State Highway 4 between St. James and Sleepy Eye at 12:24 p.m. Tuesday.

Fog was reported on a State Highway 60 camera near Madelia. High winds were reported on TH 60 at Mountain Lake.

A number of schools did not open Tuesday including Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School, Mountain Lake Public and Christian School. Sleepy Eye Public School closed at 11:30 a.m. Sibley East Schools closed at 1:10 p.m. Tuesday, St. James Public School had a virtual, eLearning day.

Sleepy Eye announced Tuesday it would have a digital learning day today (Wednesday), due to a broken water main.

All activities including varsity girls basketball at Redwood Valley, junior high girls basketball at Cedar Mountain, junior high boys basketball vs. Cedar Mountain, boys and girls hockey at Worthington scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 29 were called off due to weather conditions.

The school closed at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29 due to the winter storm forecast to drop four to seven inches of snow in south central Minnesota.

(Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com).