Snow causes Metrodome's roof to collapse

Heavy snow wreaks havoc in Midwest; Metrodome roof collapses
View this Story: http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/12/12/winter.weather/index.html?hpt=T1
(CNN) -- A powerful snowstorm was moving eastward through parts of the Midwest on Sunday, packing more precipitation, gusty winds and subarctic temperatures, according to the National Weather Service.
Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle has declared a state of emergency for 72 counties as the storm moves through the state. The "precautionary" measure was taken in order to make better use of emergency resources and personnel, who were activated Saturday, he said in a statement.
Parts of the state have received as many as 18.5 inches of snow since Friday.
We Energies reported 10,000 power outages across the state Sunday, said Barry McNulty, a spokesman for the company.
In addition to Wisconsin, the snowstorm hit parts of Iowa and Minnesota, where pounding snow caused the roof of the Metrodome in Minneapolis to collapse, a spokesman for the Minnesota State Patrol said.
iReport: Treacherous conditions in Minnesota
A low pressure system, pushed by heavy winds, created hazardous conditions in parts of the Midwest, which has been blanketed by near-whiteout conditions since the storm began Friday.
Gallery: Heavy snow buries Midwest
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Winter Weather
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
The National Weather Service issued an alert Sunday for parts of the three states and regions along the Mississippi River, warning travelers of hazardous conditions caused by the storm.
Travel is strongly discouraged except in cases of an emergency. Road crews, struggling with winds in some cases up to 45 mph, will be pulled off the road as whiteout conditions are expected to continue, the weather service said.
In Minneapolis, the roof of the city's 64,000-seat football stadium caved in, its iconic dome no longer visible after more than 17 inches of snow blanketed the Twin Cities since Friday.
Workers wielding shovels could be seen clearing the roof of the heavy white stuff. Photos taken from inside the darkened stadium showed much of the field covered with snow that fell from a gaping hole in the dome.
Concerns about the stadium's Teflon-covered inflatable dome surfaced Friday night, prompting officials to change the date and venue for a football game between the New York Giants and the Minnesota Vikings.
The game, previously scheduled to be held Sunday, will now take place Monday at 6:20 p.m. (7:20 p.m. ET) at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, the NFL said in a statement Sunday.
"Any ticket holders for the original Giants-Vikings game will be admitted and given preferred seating along the 50-yard line," the statement said.
In addition, the NFL will also make available free general admission tickets to the game.
Lt. Eric Roeske, spokesman for the Minnesota State Patrol, said it appeared the Metrodome's roof, which is held up by air pressure, "deflated" Sunday morning.
"Obviously the weight of the snow would affect how much air pressure is necessary to keep that roof up," Roeske said. "Something caused that air pressure not to be strong enough or high enough to keep that roof at its normal position."
Roy Terwilliger, chairman of the Minneapolis Metro Sports Commission -- the group that oversees the Metrodome -- said the heavy snow and cold, high winds "was too much pressure on the dome and several panels on the Teflon roof were caused to rip."
He added that "you can look through the tear in the roof and see the sky."

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[KungfuMuythaiguy6]

"That is not what your dome normally looks like"

I claim rights to making the first remix of the samples provided in this video :)

[wtyw7newschannel]

@KungfuMuythaiguy6 I agree with you on that

[HoennMaster]

@DJTEVAdotCOM We don't usually get storms that drop 18 inches at a time.

[DJTEVAdotCOM]

u would think in a state that has heavy snow they would made the roof of a better material...thats Made In America at work for ya.