A ferocious late-winter blizzard tore through the Twin Cities overnight Saturday into Sunday, dumping 7.3 inches of snow at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP Airport) by 7 a.m. — with forecasters warning of another 6 to 10 inches still to come throughout the day. Add wind gusts tearing through at 30 to 50 mph, and the result is whiteout conditions that have turned one of America’s busiest aviation hubs into something that FOX 9’s reporter on the ground called, simply, a “ghost town.”
As of 10 a.m. Sunday, 694 flights — 333 arriving, 361 departing — have been cancelled at MSP. The number keeps climbing by the hour.
MSP Blizzard — Fast Facts: March 15, 2026
| Metric | Data (as of 10:30 AM CDT, March 15) |
| Flights cancelled (total) | 694 — 333 arrivals + 361 departures (MSP tracker, 10 AM) |
| Flights operating on time | 95 departures + 124 arrivals still scheduled |
| Snow on ground at MSP | 7.3 inches as of 7 AM — more falling actively |
| Additional snow forecast | 6–10 inches through Sunday evening |
| Snowfall rate | 1–2 inches per hour at peak intensity |
| Wind gusts | 30–50 mph — creating whiteout and blizzard conditions |
| Worst visibility | 3/4 mile in Eden Prairie — conditions deteriorating |
| Total weekend cancellations | 600+ pre-Sunday + 694 Sunday = 1,294+ over 2 days |
| Hardest-hit airline | Delta — MSP is its largest hub; 199+ departures cancelled |
| Other airlines affected | Southwest, United, Sun Country — all issuing waivers |
| Road conditions | No travel advisory — southern Minnesota, I-35, I-90 |
| National Guard status | Activated — 4 armories deployed with tracked SUSV vehicles |
| Storm comparison | Biggest since January 2023 (15.1 inches) |
The Storm That Wasn’t Supposed to Happen in March
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said it best when he activated the National Guard on Friday: “Never trust spring weather in March.” The timing is brutal. After a stretch of mild late-winter conditions that had many Twin Cities residents cautiously optimistic about an early spring, a deep low-pressure system swung north and east, dragging Arctic air and heavy moisture straight into the heart of the Midwest.
Snow began falling in earnest after 7 p.m. Saturday, quickly accelerating to 1 to 3 inches per hour through the night. By dawn on Sunday, 7.3 inches had accumulated at MSP alone. Nearby areas fared worse — Savage and Elko New Market both crossed 10 inches before sunrise. The National Weather Service office in Chanhassen clocked 7.6 inches. Southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin are in line for potentially 20+ inches before the system clears.
The winds are the other half of the problem. Sustained gusts of 30 to 50 mph are not just making the cold miserable — they are blowing fresh snow back across roads that MnDOT’s 60+ plows in Hennepin County have only just cleared. Forecasters warned that conditions would “worsen through Sunday afternoon” and travel could become “nearly impossible” in exposed areas.
Delta, Southwest, United — Every Major Carrier Impacted
Delta Air Lines — the dominant carrier at MSP and the airline that operates its largest domestic hub out of Terminal 1 — began pulling flights proactively on Friday, two full days before the storm peaked. By Saturday afternoon, 199 departures and 190 arrivals had already been scrubbed. By Sunday morning, the total had multiplied.
“Delta’s way of limiting disruptions and resetting once the weather clears.” — Kyle Potter, Thrifty Traveler
Delta has activated its free rebooking waiver for all affected passengers, with automatic rescheduling to the next available flight. United Airlines, Southwest, and Sun Country followed with their own waivers. Southwest confirmed affected passengers can rebook or travel standby within two weeks of their original date at no change fee.
The scene at MSP’s Terminal 1 on Saturday told the story clearly. “Absolute mayhem, if you ask me,” said Wyatt Chartiar of Minnetonka, waiting in a queue that stretched well past the check-in counters. “I’ve never seen the line this long.” Michelle Sheridan, who had planned a European trip through MSP, was more blunt: “We are not going to Paris today — and with the storm coming in, they’re not sure when we can rebook. Our European travels are done.”
What Is Still Flying — and What Isn’t
MSP hasn’t gone completely dark. As of 10 a.m., 95 departures and 124 arrivals remained scheduled and on time — a slim fraction of a normal Sunday operation, but evidence that the airport itself is still technically open. Ground crews and airport staff are working through blizzard conditions to maintain at least partial operations.
The practical reality: the roads to get to MSP are a different matter entirely. MnDOT has issued no-travel advisories for southern Minnesota and has closed Interstate 35 southbound at Albert Lea. I-90 in south-central Minnesota is off-limits. The Minnesota State Patrol reported 21 property-damage crashes, 70 vehicles off the road, 6 jackknifed semi-trucks, and 5 spinouts — all between midnight and 6:30 a.m. alone.
Passengers attempting to reach the airport are being warned by state authorities to stay home unless travel is absolutely unavoidable. Lt. Mike Lee of the Minnesota State Patrol was direct: stay off the roads. And if you do go off the road, stay in your vehicle, seatbelt on, flashers running.
National Guard, Snow Emergencies, Free Parking — The Full Government Response
This storm triggered one of the most comprehensive emergency responses Minnesota has seen in years. Gov. Walz signed the National Guard executive order on Friday, pre-positioning tracked SUSV vehicles — designed specifically to operate in snow and ice — at four armories in Owatonna, Redwood Falls, Fairmont, and Albert Lea.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her jointly declared snow emergencies on Saturday, effective 9 p.m. Sunday. Both cities opened emergency free parking: Minneapolis at the Salvation Army lot and the farmers market lot (free through Wednesday), plus Parking Ramp A downtown at $1. St. Paul opened the Block 19 ramp in downtown at no charge for residents from Saturday at 5 p.m.
“Our snowplow drivers are in the starting blocks and are ready to go. For them this is the Super Bowl.” — Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey
Sixty plows were deployed in Hennepin County by Sunday morning. They are fighting a losing battle for now — snow is falling and blowing back faster than it can be cleared. The city advised residents that snow emergencies could remain in effect longer than usual due to the volume of accumulation expected.
What Happens Next: When Does MSP Recover?
The snow is forecast to wrap up Sunday evening — but that’s not when travel returns to normal. Gusty winds are expected to continue through Monday, creating lingering blowing snow and visibility issues for the morning commute and early flights. NWS has flagged “possible travel issues” into Monday.
For aviation, the recovery sequence at a hub like MSP after a 694-cancellation day is not overnight. Aircraft and crew are out of position across Delta’s entire network. The ripple effect will be felt at connecting airports — Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago — through Monday and likely into Tuesday for the most disrupted routes.
Passenger action points: Check your flight directly on your airline’s app — not third-party trackers. Rebook via app, not phone (hold times are running 3+ hours). If rebooking for Monday, verify road conditions before driving to MSP. Follow MSP Airport on social media for real-time gate and operational updates.
For additional operational briefings and the latest Airline News, monitor our dedicated aviation intelligence category.