All Things Considered

Warmer winters can mean more salt on Minnesota roads

Mankato snowstorm5
Mankato city employees were busy plowing and salting the roads in town Dec. 30, 2019, during a snowstorm.
Hannah Yang | MPR News

While it’s unclear just how snowy this winter will be, NOAA data shows that Minnesota winters have warmed more than five degrees on average since 1970. Warmer winters may cause more freeze-thaw cycles and increased road salt use. State maintenance engineer Jed Falgren spoke to MPR News chief meteorologist Paul Huttner about what MnDOT is doing to maximize road safety in a changing climate.

Click on the audio player above to hear the conversation.