Kate Laurensen is a veteran reporter. She started out covering entertainment news for the local city paper before moving up to the City desk. She studied journalism at San Francisco City College for the Arts.
December 29 , 2025
St. Paul, Minn. - A powerful winter storm system, designated “Brigitte Bardot” by the National Weather Service’s storm-naming protocol, dumped heavy snow and ice across large swaths of the Upper Midwest and disrupted one of the busiest travel weekends of the holiday season. The system has produced blizzard-like conditions in parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Dakotas.
Governor Tim Walz directed the Minnesota National Guard on Saturday to assist with storm response and provide support for stranded motorists and rural communities facing widespread power outages. State officials reported that Guard members had already aided in rescue operations on major highways south of Minneapolis and helped establish warming shelters in counties hit hardest by the storm.
“Brigitte Bardot is a dangerous and fast-changing situation,” Walz said during an afternoon briefing. “We’re asking Minnesotans to stay home if they can, watch for updates, and put safety first. The National Guard’s presence ensures that our most isolated residents and travelers will have help when they need it.”
The storm collided with one of the busiest travel weekends of the year, complicating efforts by millions of Americans to reach family gatherings after Christmas. Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport reported more than 300 flight cancellations as of Sunday morning, while road closures extended across sections of Interstate 94 and U.S. Highway 52. State troopers have responded to dozens of accidents attributed to slick pavement and reduced visibility.
Meteorologists say that Brigitte Bardot’s sharp drop in air pressure qualifies it as a bomb cyclone—a rare but increasingly familiar pattern in recent winter seasons marked by sudden intensification. Winds exceeding 50 mph were reported in parts of northern Minnesota, where snowdrifts as high as four feet made several rural routes impassable.
Local utility companies worked through the night to restore power to thousands of customers affected by downed lines. In Duluth and along the Iron Range, crews faced subzero wind chills that slowed progress. “We’re staging teams around the clock,” said a spokesperson for Minnesota Power. “Our priority is restoring the most critical infrastructure and keeping residents safe.”
The National Weather Service warned that extreme cold and blowing snow would persist into Monday, with wind chill values dropping below -25°F in exposed areas. Officials urged residents to conserve energy, check on neighbors, and avoid unnecessary driving until conditions improve.
Despite the disruptions, community groups and volunteers mobilized to assist those stranded by Brigitte Bardot. Churches, schools, and civic centers have temporarily opened their doors as shelters, offering food, blankets, and charging stations for those displaced by outages or impassable roads.
Forecasters expect Brigitte Bardot to weaken gradually as it shifts eastward, but note that residual snow and ice could continue to affect parts of the Great Lakes region through midweek. For now, much of Minnesota remains under a blizzard warning, with Governor Walz encouraging patience and resilience during what he called “one of the harshest holiday storms in recent memory.”
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