Photo by Deb Gau John Zerr works to clear snow from the end of a driveway in Marshall on Thursday afternoon. A total of about 15 inches of snow over the past three days, according to the National Weather Service.

MARSHALL — Winter storms dumped another 9 inches of snow on the Marshall area Wednesday night, leaving plow crews and area residents trying to dig out on Thursday.

“I’m ready for spring, right now,” said Marshall resident Bob Roy.

Roy and his neighbor John Zerr were both running snowblowers to open up their driveways on West Redwood Street. Around Marshall, people could be seen working with shovels, snowblowers and heavy equipment to clear away snowdrifts.

Snowfall totals for this week’s three-day blizzard came to more than a foot of snow through much of southwest Minnesota. In Marshall, the total recorded snowfall was 15 inches, according to the National Weather Service. That’s halfway to the city’s February snowfall record of 30 inches, which was reported in 1952.

The city of Taunton had the highest reported snowfall total in the region, at 21 inches, according to the National Weather Service.

Wind gusts in southwest Minnesota also ranged from 20 miles per hour to more than 40 miles per hour on Wednesday and early Thursday morning. According to the National Weather Service, Marshall’s highest observed wind gust was 29 miles per hour, while Worthington reported a maximum gust of 41 miles per hour.

Although the snow had stopped and the sun was out on Thursday, it wasn’t the end of travel hazards for the region. Wind gusts were still picking up the light, powdery snow and creating whiteout conditions and drifts. Both local and state snowplow crews were out working to clear roads and highways.

“They really put their all into this storm,” said Sandra Schlagel, District 8 public affairs coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Transportation. “Conditions are challenging because of the high winds and drifting snow.”

MnDOT crews brought in heavy equipment on Thursday to help open up highways that had drifted closed. Schlagel said MnDOT would be re-opening several area highways that were closed on Wednesday. However, that didn’t mean it was safe to travel. Much of southwest Minnesota will remain under a no-travel advisory, Schlagel said.

If it isn’t essential to travel, area residents should stay home, she said.

“If it’s tough going for the plow operators, it’s tough going for travelers,” Schlagel said.

City workers were also clearing streets in Marshall on Thursday. A snow removal emergency in Marshall will remain in effect until noon today. Marshall Mayor Bob Byrnes said snow removal workers needed time to get streets completely cleared.

“The streets have all been opened up, but unfortunately there are still cars parked on the street, so they will have to go back and widen them again,” Byrnes said Thursday.

Vehicles parked on the street during a snow emergency can be ticketed or towed.

“We really try not to do a snow emergency until absolutely necessary,” Byrnes said.

He said the city understood the inconvenience the parking restrictions can cause residents. However, this week the state of emergency was necessary.

“This was a multi-day storm,” he said.

The National Weather Service warned that hazardous wintry weather would continue today, with wind chills as low as 31 degrees below zero. The forecast is warmer and sunny over the weekend, but a chance of freezing rain and snow will return on Sunday night.