Saturday was a perfect day — if you were a kite.
Fierce northwest winds swept across western and south-central Minnesota, jarring sleepers awake, pummeling walkers and motorists, downing branches, and shoving ice that had been lingering on Lake Mille Lacs onto shore.
A wind advisory covered a large swatch of the state for much of the day, according to the National Weather Service in Chanhassen. Amid below-freezing temperatures, winds gusted from 30 to 35 miles per hour, peaking at 45 mph in some areas.
Resort owners around Mille Lacs, who have suffered damage from ice-blown wind in springs past, were monitoring winds, and most reported minimal or no damage by moving ice on Saturday. But at Appeldoorn's Sunset Bay Resort, ice damaged a dock, according to event coordinator Jodi Crowell.
"You really can't do anything," Crowell said of the windy weather. "If it's gonna come, it's gonna come."
Weather Service meteorologist Tony Zaleski said high winds can be especially dangerous for drivers of tall vehicles such as semitrailer trucks and vans. His advice — to grip the wheel firmly with both hands — stands through the week, since seriously windy weather may return later in the week.
Sunday was expected to bring better outdoor recreation weather, with winds dying down a bit and temperatures climbing into the mid-50s, according to the Weather Service.
Natalie Daher • 952-746-3285
