For the first time in years, a snowstorm has completely shut down Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
All four of the airport's runways were closed about 11:30 a.m. and were expected to remain that way until mid-afternoon, said airport spokesman Patrick Hogan.
The plane carrying the New York Giants, flying here for tomorrow's noon game against the Vikings, has been diverted to Kansas City.
Although plowing crews were staying ahead of the snowfall on the runways, taxiways from the terminal to the runways were too clogged with snow for planes to navigate, he said.
The chaotic day was eased somewhat by the fact that Saturday is not a typivcally heavy travel day and the fact that, in anticipation of the storm, airlines had already canceled about half of their flights into and out of the airport, Hogan said.
"No, it's not a good situation," he said.
