Snow Emergency

Snow Emergencies in Duluth

Be the first to know – sign up to receive a Northland Alert https://duluthmn.gov/northlandalert/.

When a snow emergency is declared, special parking rules go into effect to allow streets to be plowed more efficiently. Residents and visitors must move their vehicles off of snow emergency routes. Vehicles that do not move off of snow emergency routes risk being ticketed and/or towed at the owner’s expense. 

Snow emergencies will be declared by 4:00 p.m. on any given day. The public will then have five hours to remove vehicles from snow emergency routes. Any vehicles remaining on snow emergency routes after 9:00 p.m. will be ticketed and/or towed at the owner’s expense.

The City will be working with media outlets, and utilizing social media, to communicate that a snow emergency has been declared. The City will also be issuing a Northland Alert in the form of a text, email, or phone call to those who have signed up. This is the best, and fastest method to receive a notification when a snow emergency has been declared. Northland Alerts are free and easy to register for. To sign up, please visit www.duluthmn.gov/northlandalert.

When is a snow emergency declared? 

The City of Duluth will consider the following before declaring a snow emergency: future weather forecasts, timing, the type of precipitation and accumulation. There is no formula for declaring a snow emergency. As Minnesotan’s know, no two snow events are alike. The director of Public Works & Utilities works with City staff and its partners to declare a snow emergency based on the best information that they have at the time.

How Snow Emergencies Work

Day 1:

  • 4:00 p.m. – Snow emergency has been declared
  • 4:00 – 9:00 p.m. – The public has five hours to remove vehicles from snow emergency routes
  • 9:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m. – Cars remaining on snow emergency routes are ticketed and/or towed

Day 2:

  • 2:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. – Street Maintenance crews clear snow emergency routes
  • 6:00 p.m. – Normal parking rules resume. If the snow emergency is extended, parking restrictions stay in place until the following day.

Once snow emergency routes have been plowed, crews will move on to residential streets, then alleys. As soon as a snow emergency has concluded, cars can be parked on the snow emergency route, unless otherwise signed or unless a new snow emergency has been declared.

Launch Interactive Snow Emergency Map