>> DOMINIC: SOMETIMES, WHEN YOU'’RE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A THING, IT'’S HARD TO GET THE DISTANCE TO SEE IT CLEARLY.

LUCKY FOR YOU, YOU HAVE ME TO EXPLAIN THE FOUR STAGES OF A MINNESOTA SNOWSTORM.

FIRST, THERE'’S THE PRELUDE.

THIS IS WHEN METEOROLOGISTS, SCHOOL OFFICIALS AND GUYS WITH BAD KNEES GIVE US THE HEADS-UP THAT A STORM IS A-BREWIN'’.

THE PRELUDE TENDS TO BE RELATIVELY DRAMATIC IN DESCRIBING THE COMING SNOWFALL, EMPLOYING ADJECTIVES SUCH AS "“SIGNIFICANT,"” "“HISTORIC"” OR -— MY FAVORITE -— "“LIFE-THREATENING."”.

SO IT'’S NO SURPRISE THAT THIS INEVITABLY LEADS TO STAGE TWO, THE PANIC.

THIS IS WHEN SHOVELS AND SNOWBLOWERS FLY OFF THE SHELVES.

AS IF WE'’VE BEEN USING -— WHAT, FLAMETHROWERS?

- UP TO THIS POINT IN THE WINTER.

LINES AT GAS STATIONS AND GROCERY STORES STRETCH TOWARD THE HORIZON.

WHEN MY LOCAL LIQUOR STORE CLOSED EARLY ON WEDNESDAY, I KNEW THE PANIC WAS IN FULL BLOOM.

ONCE WE'’RE ALL PROVISIONED UP COMES STAGE THREE, THE HUNKER.

IN THIS STAGE, MINNESOTANS BORN AFTER OCTOBER 31, 1991, SETTLE IN WITH A BLANKET, MAYBE A POT OF CHILI AND A NETFLIX SERIES THEY'’VE BEEN SAVING FOR JUST SUCH AN OCCASION.

MINNESOTANS BORN BEFORE 1991 LOOK OUT THE WINDOW AND GO "“THIS IS NOTHING.

"” AND IT'’S GENERALLY THOSE OLDER MINNESOTANS WHO LEAD US INTO STAGE FOUR OF A MINNESOTA SNOWSTORM, THE RECRIMINATIONS.

THIS IS WHEN THOSE AFOREMENTIONED METEOROLOGISTS, SCHOOL OFFICIALS AND GUYS WITH BAD KNEES COME IN FOR ALL SORTS OF CRITICISM FOR EITHER (A) VASTLY OVERBLOWING THE SEVERITY OF THE STORM OR (B) NOT DOING ENOUGH TO PREPARE US FOR THE LIFE-THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

SHOVELING?

OH, YEAH, I GUESS THAT'’S STEP