Slow snowstorm stalking Midwest
A SLOW-MOVING winter storm blanketed a large swath of the US Midwest in snow yesterday, forcing the cancellation of about 2000 flights, making roads treacherous and forcing some people to rethink their plans to attend Super Bowl parties.
Blizzard conditions developed in Chicago – where more than 30 centimetres of snow were expected by evening – and other Midwest locales as the system crept eastward into Pennsylvania and western New York state.
Parts of the northeastern New England states still digging out from a storm last week were readying for yet another round of snow.
The snowstorm was expected to be the most far reaching of the season to date, stretching from Nebraska to Maine, according to the National Weather Service.
Forecasters also said the storm was moving unusually slowly, meaning accumulations of between 25cm and 40cm of snow were possible for parts of northern Illinois, Indiana and northwest Ohio. Similar amounts of snow are expected for the northeast.
More than 1950 flights were cancelled in the Midwest, most of which were flights in or out of Chicago’s two airports.
Wind gusts of about 70kmh were expected which would road travel tricky too. Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner cautioned against any travel and put state agencies on alert.
In eastern Nebraska, several sections of Interstate 80 were closed yesterday because of accidents in the icy conditions.
The weather led to power outages in suburban Chicago and cut power to nearly 8000 northern
‘Lots of folks have the big four-wheel trucks. The snow doesn’t really slow them down.’
Mark Lombardo Sports bar owner Indiana homes and businesses.
Several of the Chicago area’s top tourist attractions closed early because of the weather, including the Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium and Brookfield Zoo.
The city’s pizzerias, though, were expecting heavy demand for deliveries during the Super Bowl. And bars hosting Super Bowl parties said they would not let the weather spoil their plans.
In the southeastern Wisconsin city of New Berlin, meanwhile, sports bar Matty’s Bar & Grill was preparing for a strong turnout, despite the weather.
‘‘Here in Wisconsin, with the snow, we’re pretty used to it,’’ general manager Mark Lombardo said. ‘‘Lots of folks have the big four-wheel trucks. The snow doesn’t really slow them down.’’
Parts of New England – still recovering from a blizzard last week that buried the region in snow – were braced for more. The weather service said that many parts of New England could get between 20cm and 35cm of snow and that parts of western Massachusetts and Connecticut could get up to 40cm.
A storm warning was in effect for New York City, with mayor Bill de Blasio saying residents should be ready for a snowy and icy commute.