A snow plow spreads salt and sand Wednesday in Omaha on Wednesday.(Photo: Jimmie Burnett, AP)
With heavy snow and howling winds, the Midwest's first major
snowstorm of the season was sweeping across several states Thursday,
shuttering schools and creating dangerous roadways.
Nebraska's
largest school district canceled classes because of heavy overnight
snow, as did many districts across Iowa, where drivers were being told
to stay off the roads starting Wednesday evening because of whiteout
conditions.
Some spots in Iowa and Wisconsin could see a foot and a
half of snow by the time the storm winds down Thursday night, according
to the National Weather Service.
The storm is bad news for holiday travelers, but the forecast promises much-needed precipitation for the drought-plagued region.
Expect
delays at airports in the path of the storm and ripple-effect delays in
other parts of the nation, AccuWeather meteorologist Alex Sosnowski
said. The storm will have a direct impact on Chicago, Detroit and
Minneapolis, he said.
Most
of the nation's big airlines responded to the storm's threat by
Wednesday afternoon, enacting flexible rebooking policies for fliers
scheduled to fly into the storm's path.
Chicago's O'Hare is a
major hub for both American and United, while Midway is one of the top
bases for Southwest. If forecasts hold, both airports are at risk of
significant delays developing today and lasting into Friday.
"The
heaviest amounts of snow will be across Iowa and into southern
Wisconsin," according to a weather service report. "Strong, gusty winds
accompanying the storm will bring blizzard conditions, making travel in
the area hazardous."
Blizzard warnings were in place late
Wednesday in a solid stretch from near Denver to near Milwaukee, a
distance of more than 900 miles. About 5 million people were in areas
under a blizzard warning.
Snow created a few problems in Denver on Wednesday, with hour-long flight delays reported at the airport.
Heavy
snow and whiteout conditions also closed interstates and caused driving
problems in Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas on Wednesday. On Thursday,
several states were reporting numerous traffic accidents, including one
fatality in Nebraska.
South of the snowstorm, blowing dust led to
near-zero visibilities in West Texas, which caused a major car wreck
that killed one person.
The weather service is even forecasting
"thundersnow" in Milwaukee and the surrounding areas today, where snow
could fall at the rate of 2-3 inches an hour.
In the South, AccuWeather is forecasting severe weather Thursday.
States
where the threat is the highest include Arkansas, Missouri, Louisiana,
Mississippi and Alabama, the Storm Prediction Center reported.
"The
greatest risk from the storms appears to be damaging wind gusts and
flash and urban flooding," AccuWeather meteorologist Eddie Walker said.
"However, there is a slight possibility that a few storms can be intense
enough to produce a tornado."
Although the Plains and Midwest could do without the travel headaches, precipitation should be welcome.
More
than 93% of the high Plains region and 54% of the Midwest are enduring
drought conditions, according to the most recent U.S. Drought Monitor, a
federal website that tracks drought.
USA Today