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Weather Alert

Weather Alert

...Potent Spring Storm to Bring Heavy Snow to the Region...

.A complex storm system will move into the region Thursday
through Saturday bringing a variety of weather with it including
heavy rain, severe storms, and heavy snow. A wintry mix with some
freezing rain and light snow could occur north of I94 tonight. The
main impactful snow is expected Friday night.

Rain changes to snow Friday night, with heavy, wet snow. At this
time, the heaviest snow is expected to fall north of I94 with
around 6 to 10 inches of accumulation. Farther south, amounts are
less confident due to potential differences in when the rain
switches over to snow and how far south the heavy snow will make
it. In addition northwest winds will increase on the backside of
the storm with gusts 35 to 45 mph with reduced visibilities and
some blowing and drifting of snow. The winds will remain elevated
Saturday morning.

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY EVENING THROUGH
SATURDAY AFTERNOON...

* WHAT...Heavy snow possible. Total snow accumulations of 3 to 6
inches possible. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph. Blowing and
drifting of snow in open areas.

* WHERE...Portions of southeast Minnesota and west central
Wisconsin.

* WHEN...From Friday evening through Saturday afternoon.

* IMPACTS...Plan on slippery to hazardous road conditions.
Widespread blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Monitor the latest forecasts for updates on this situation.

&&

Channel One Food Bank reflects on prevalent food insecurity

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Channel One Regional Food Bank is seeing a large influx of first-time visitors.

ROCHESTER, Minn. - Food insecurity is a high concern across the region as inflation has brought challenges to more and more community members.

A growing problem with food insecurity is the broadening demographic that needs to be served, and that it is affecting more people that did not struggle with this issue prior to the turbulent economy we have been seeing over the last year.

Rochester's Channel One Regional Food Bank is experiencing challenges of its own as a result.

At Channel One, manufacturing donations dropped 60% over the last year, and government COVID relief funds were cut in half.

Equally as troubling is the 33% increase in food needs among its visitors.

"Food insecurity is so hidden," shared Jessica Sund, director of development and communications at Channel One Regional Food Bank. "There are people among us everyday that are fighting with where they're going to get their next meal, or how they're going to afford their next grocery bill."

Food banks like Channel One are making sacrifices that are unprecedented in order to accommodate for a historic amount of purchases from donated funds to compensate for the decrease in aid from manufacturers and legislators.

Part of this involves reductions of inventory and placing temporary limits of items that are of high cost in order to continue to help serving their increasingly growing 

"So many of our friends and neighbors, and really everyone in America, could be a $500 emergency away from needing food assistance," Sund said. "A medical bill, a car crash. There are so many people that are so close to that line of being okay, and all of the sudden needing help."

Channel One will host a fundraiser at its warehouse this April called "Epicure: One Bite at a Time" to bring awareness to food insecurity and how accessing healthy food helps build up the health of the community.

Former Mayo Clinic CEO Dr. John Noseworthy and his wife Patricia have long been proponents for building the health of the community, and they will be the honorary co-chairs of the Epicure fundraiser.

To learn more about the upcoming fundraiser, visit the food bank website.

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