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Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News
Paul Huttner

'Plow Bunyan?' MnDOT to name snowplows in Minnesota

What's your favorite snowplow name?

MNDOT snowplow names coming
MNDOT snowplow names coming
MNDOT

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The internet may have created a new winter weather monster in Minnesota.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation tweeted Thursday they will take a page out of Scotland’s book and start naming snowplows in Minnesota.

The idea for naming snow plows seems to have originated in Scotland, who has some highly entertaining plow names. “Sir Salter Scott” and “Spready Mercury” stand out.

Map with snowplow names in Scotland
Map with snowplow names in Scotland
Traffic Scotland

I saw this tweet last Friday and tagged MnDOT on the idea, and apparently many other Twitter users have let MnDOT know this is an idea worth pursuing.

Tweets coming into my Twitter feed and MnDOT have already produced some great names. Some names appear to originate from Anoka County, which may already have plows named “Plow Bunyan” and “Darth Blader.”

Here are some additional suggestions I’ve seen:

  • Salter Mondale

  • Kent Brrrbeck

  • Joe Plower

  • Lake Snow Be Gone

  • Highway 61 Revisited

Taking submissions

MnDOT is accepting submissions for snowplow names through Jan. 22. We’ll all get to vote on the best names in February.

Could “Salter Mondale” be coming to a freeway near you soon?

A truck is seen stranded in snowdrifts along Interstate 90
A truck is seen stranded in snowdrifts along Interstate 90 near Welcome, Minn., on Feb. 24, 2019, in an image from a MnDOT snowplow camera.
Minnesota Department of Transportation