Minneapolis and St. Paul have declared snow emergencies as a significant winter storm moves into Minnesota this weekend, bringing heavy snowfall and strong winds. Meanwhile, Swiss alpine skier Marco Odermatt secured his fourth consecutive World Cup super-G title without racing, as adverse weather forced cancellations in the French Alps.

Minnesota Cities Prepare for Heavy Snow

Minnesota officials are telling people to get ready for the storm. The Minnesota Department of Transportation issued a travel alert for Southeast Minnesota, warning of hazardous roads. As snow began to fall, the Minnesota State Patrol reported over 100 crashes, underscoring the immediate dangers of the storm.

In Minneapolis, Mayor Jacob Frey announced a snow emergency starting at 9 p.m. on Sunday, March 15. Frey said the snow emergency lets plows do their job. That way, when snow melts, it won't turn into ice on the roads.

The city has established a strict schedule for parking restrictions. From 9 p.m. Sunday, March 15, until 8 a.m. Monday, March 16, parking is prohibited on both sides of any designated Snow Emergency route. On Monday, March 16, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., vehicles must not park on the even-numbered side of non-Snow Emergency routes, nor on either side of parkways. The restrictions then shift on Tuesday, March 17, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., when parking will be banned on the odd-numbered side of non-Snow Emergency routes.

The city's offering over 700 free parking spots to help people out. These are available at the Farmer's Market lot, located at 225 East Lyndale Avenue North, and the Fourth Street North lot, at 601 North 4th Street. There's also about 3,500 spots at Parking Ramp A for a buck, starting Sunday at 6 a.m. through Tuesday morning. City officials reminded drivers that vehicles must be removed by 8 p.m. on Wednesday to avoid extra charges. Ignoring these rules could result in tickets and towing.

Minneapolis Public Works Director Sexton described the situation as an "all-hands-on-deck" effort. The department plans to deploy 115 staff members and 60 pieces of heavy equipment for snow operations on Sunday, with hopes of mobilizing even more resources. More information on specific routes and regulations is available on the city's official website.

St. Paul Implements Parking Bans

St. Paul also declared a snow emergency, set to begin at 9 p.m. on Sunday, March 15. Mayor Kaohly Her urged residents to move their cars off night routes by Saturday evening. This proactive measure will allow crews to start clearing arterial and high-traffic streets as soon as the snow begins to fall.

She stressed that moving cars early keeps people from getting stuck and gives crews space to work, which means safer roads. She warned that with all this snow, some night routes might still not be cleared by Monday morning. Residents should use their judgment when moving vehicles, relocating them only to streets and lots that have already been cleared.

Parking will be prohibited on specific routes starting at 9 p.m. Sunday, March 15, as city crews begin their extensive clearing operations across the city.

Odermatt Claims Ski Title Amid Cancellations

In international sports news, Swiss skiing sensation Marco Odermatt secured the World Cup super-G title for the fourth consecutive season. He clinched the title on Sunday without even needing to race, as both scheduled super-G events in Courchevel, France, were called off.

Bad weather in the French Alps forced both cancellations. Saturday's race was initially canceled because of heavy fog and ongoing snowfall. Organizers then called off Sunday's event hours before its planned start, with the International Ski and Snowboard Federation stating that "the slope is unfortunately not safe to race on." Since the season ends next week, they're not rescheduling either race.

Odermatt's got a 158-point lead over Austria's Vincent Kriechmayr—basically unbeatable. One super-G race is left—next weekend in Norway—and it's worth 100 points. Odermatt had already won two of the six super-G events this season, making him the only racer with multiple victories in the discipline.

That's another title for Odermatt's already stacked season. He previously locked up the overall and downhill titles after a third-place finish in Friday's downhill. Odermatt is also a strong favorite to claim the giant slalom title next week, potentially repeating his feat from the past two years where he won all four globes.

Odermatt's clearly the guy to beat in alpine skiing, even when bad weather shuts down races worldwide.