JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – “I waited all year for this” said a young girl out shoveling snow with her grandfather in front of their home in Jamestown. Most people did not share that sentiment as the first significant snowfall of the season came in the form of a blizzard in our region.

The system started with a round of freezing drizzle that made driving tricky in the Dakotas. It led to a chain reaction crash that totaled a state trooper’s vehicle and closed Interstate 94 in eastern North Dakota for several hours Wednesday night and shut down I-29 in eastern North Dakota on Thursday morning.

Snow amounts varied throughout the region. The Jamestown area was expected to receive 10 inches of snow. Some parts of central ND could receive 18 inches or more.

Schools were closed, activities were postponed, and business closed early, or did not open at all. Interstate 94 was closed both east and west bound from Jamestown to Dickinson on Thursday afternoon. Authorities advised no travel for most of the state because of ice, snow and wind.

Conditions are expected to improve early Friday with cold artic air moving in for the weekend.