Richfield is strapping in for a hefty late-season blast of snow after city officials declared a snow emergency on Saturday and ordered streets cleared. Police warned that any vehicle left on public streets could be tagged and towed starting at midnight, while plow crews geared up to hit both major routes and quieter neighborhood roads.
Meteorologists warned the Upper Midwest could be in for another round of heavy weekend snowfall, raising the odds of slick travel and long plow shifts, according to OpenSnow. Forecasters noted that timing and totals were still model dependent, which helps explain why Richfield moved early instead of waiting for the flakes to pile up.
The City of Richfield Police Department leaned into the drama with a Facebook post titled "SNOWMAGEDDON!" and urged residents to clear the streets before the clock strikes twelve, warning that tagging and towing would begin at midnight, according to the Richfield Police Department. The city's winter parking and snow-plowing page explains that a snow emergency automatically kicks in after four inches of accumulation and that on-street parking is off limits until streets are plowed curb to curb, according to the City of Richfield. That guidance also notes there are 392 temporary parking spaces on Cedar Avenue between 67th and 75th streets, with more spots on the north side of 78th Street East near 12th Avenue, which are free for 24 hours after a snow-emergency declaration. The page and post list the Richfield Snow Information Hotline (612-861-9178) and Chiefs Towing (952-888-2201) for residents trying to track down a towed vehicle.
How the snow emergency works
Designated snow-emergency parking areas are meant to give residents without driveways a short-term place to stash their cars while crews clear streets curb to curb. Those spaces are available for a single 24-hour window after the declaration; once plows start working through the lots, any vehicles still parked there are subject to the city’s normal ticket-and-tow rules. Drivers are urged to move cars out of those spots promptly so plow operators can finish full curb-to-curb clearing as quickly as possible.
Plan ahead and stay safe
With heavy snow in the forecast, officials urged residents to skip nonessential trips, give plows plenty of room to work, and move vehicles off the street well ahead of the midnight cutoff. Forecasts warned that both timing and snowfall amounts could change quickly, so residents are encouraged to monitor conditions and road reports, per OpenSnow. The police department also asked the public to follow the city's website and social channels for updates as the storm unfolds over the weekend.
