Today's status
Check whether an emergency is declared
Read the city's latest declaration, then use the three-day rules and posted signs to choose where to park.
Check Minneapolis snow emergency statusMinneapolis, MN winter guide
Minneapolis snow plow and parking guide.
A Minneapolis snow emergency changes legal parking over three days. Check the current declaration, the signs on your block, and the rule for today's phase before leaving your car.
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Reviewed September 1, 2026City of Minneapolis Public Works
DAY 1 BEGINS9 p.m.
DAYS 2 AND 38 a.m.
STREET ANSWERSigns and phase rules
Start with the official answer
Three useful ways to check Minneapolis
These links go directly to the city tools residents need during a storm.
Three-day rules
Read each parking phase
Review Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3 before choosing where to leave the car.
Read Minneapolis parking rulesGet help
Contact Minneapolis 311
Ask about a street-specific rule or city-maintained location that remains unserved after its phase.
Open snow emergency guidanceHow the response unfolds
What happens before your street is finished
Minneapolis follows a local sequence. Knowing the phase explains why one road can be clear while another is still waiting.
- 1Day 1, 9 p.m.
Snow emergency routes
Do not park on either side of a snow emergency route until it is fully plowed. Non-routes and parkways remain available unless posted otherwise.
- 2Day 2, 8 a.m.
Even sides and parkways
Do not park on the even side of non-snow-emergency routes or either side of parkways until fully plowed.
- 3Day 3, 8 a.m.
Odd sides of non-routes
Do not park on the odd side of non-snow-emergency routes until that side is fully plowed.
Before leaving the car
Minneapolis parking rules that matter
- Red signs and blue street-name signs identify snow emergency routes; green or brown street-name signs generally identify non-routes.
- Fully plowed means the city has cleared the street to the widest practical width, not necessarily to bare pavement.
- A street can require more than one pass. Do not return until the restricted side is fully plowed.
Resident checklist
What to do during the storm
- 1
Check the route signs on your block. Ask 311 if you cannot tell which rule applies.
- 2
Recheck the rule each morning because the legal side changes.
- 3
Move the vehicle before the next phase begins.
- 4
Wait for the assigned day and side to be completed before reporting a missed block.
Service boundaries
Who clears what in Minneapolis
The city plow department is not responsible for every road, sidewalk, driveway, alley, or parking area.
Minneapolis Public Works
Declares snow emergencies, plows city streets, and publishes the parking rules for each phase.
Drivers
Move vehicles for each phase and do not return until the restricted side has been fully plowed.
Property owners and occupants
Maintain required sidewalk access and keep shoveled snow out of the roadway.
If the street looks missed
Check your street's assigned day first
Wait until the street’s assigned day, side, and plowing phase have passed. Cleanup and widening can continue after the first pass.
- 1Check your block's route signs and the current declaration.
- 2Confirm which day and side apply.
- 3Call 311 with the exact block after its phase is complete.
Local questions answered
Minneapolis snow plow FAQ
Short answers for the questions residents usually have during an active storm.
Can I park on a street after one plow passes?
Only if the restricted side is fully plowed to the widest practical width. Crews can make multiple passes.
How do I know whether my street is a snow emergency route?
Red route signs and blue street-name signs identify snow emergency routes. If the signs are unclear, contact Minneapolis 311 before parking.
Why does the legal side change?
The three-day sequence clears different route types and sides without removing all street parking at once.
Verify the answer
Official Minneapolis sources
Storm conditions and emergency rules change. These are the public-agency pages used for this guide.
More official guides