 While the rest of the state is experiencing winter storms, people in central and northern Minnesota have lucked out with only minimal snowfalls. But combine that with a little bit of snow, with the wind, it can be a recipe for dangerous conditions like blow ice. Blow ice forms on roadways that are treated, and then the snow blows across the roads and freezes, creating an icy patch. MnDOT says if they were to go back and treat these areas, it would only make the patches of ice worse. Due to the ongoing winter-like conditions, snowplow drivers have had to compete with blow ice, forming more often than usual. We try to plow it continuously to scrape it all off. We don't reapply chemical there because if we do, it'll make the ice worse than it normally would be. MnDOT says that roadways with trees or a natural wind block can create a natural buffer so that blow ice will not form in those areas. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.