DULUTH — It’s the snowstorm that just keeps on giving.

The unrelenting storm has spread about 2 feet of snow in northeastern Minnesota continued for a third day Wednesday. The heavy snow and ice has contributed to hundreds of traffic accidents around Minnesota and was cited in at least four fatal crashes since Monday, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.

The snow storm closed the University of Minnesota Duluth and most other schools in the area and even shut down the Bentleyville holiday lights display in Duluth.

A National Weather Service observer reported 26 inches of snow north of Two Harbors late Tuesday night. Duluth was buried under at least 16 inches. Much of the region will see another 8 to 12 inches Wednesday, forecasters said, and by the time the winter storm warning ends Thursday morning, snowfall totals could approach 3 feet in some areas.

“We don’t get three-day snowfalls very often . every few years. Even for the North Shore and Duluth, for a storm to hit 30 inches, that’s pretty unusual,” said Carol Christenson, National Weather Service meteorologist in Duluth. “For us to even forecast snow totals like this, it goes against the averages.”

Kelly Fleissner, who leads Duluth’s snowplowing efforts for more than 400 miles of city streets, said city crews worked 16-hour shifts during the height of the storm Monday night and Tuesday.