Blizzard Moves Across North Dakota, Closing Schools

January 13, 2009 4:34 a.m. EST

Bismarck, ND (AHN) - A blizzard that moved through North Dakota closed schools and made travel nearly impossible on Monday.

With holiday snow still blanketing much of the state, a blizzard swept eastward, bringing strong winds and causing visibility to drop.

In Bismarck, crews re-plowed snow emergency routes, school routes and major roads. "Sanding crews will continue to sand the plowed streets. Crews will continue to work around the clock until all streets are cleared from the recent snow and wind storm," city officials said in a statement.

The National Weather Service forecast blowing and drifting snow in western and central parts of the state on Tuesday, with temperatures dropping to as low as 25 degrees below zero in the northeast.

The winter storm moved through northern Illinois and northwest Indiana overnight, the weather service said in its blizzard warning. Gusts of up to 35 miles per hour are expected and visibility of less than one quarter of a mile.