Storm adds travel uncertainty

Concerns about illness or inflation aren’t stopping Americans from hitting the roads and airports this holiday season. But a severe winter storm might.

Forecasters predict an onslaught of heavy snow, ice, flooding and powerful winds from today to Saturday in a broad swath of the country, from the Plains and Midwest to the East Coast. A surge of Arctic air will follow. The Christmas weekend could be the coldest in decades.

The National Weather Service said Wednesday that the storm was so large and encompassing that around 190 million people are currently under some type of winter weather advisory.

The Federal Aviation Administration said flight delays due to snow and wind gusts were possible in Minneapolis Wednesday.

High winds could also delay flights in

Chicago and Denver.

Delta, American, United, Frontier, Alaska, Southwest and other airlines were waiving change fees and offering travelers the option of choosing new flights to avoid the bad weather.

Airports said they would work hard to stay open. Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway airports said they have 350 pieces of equipment and 400,000 gallons of pavement de-icing fluid between them to keep runways and taxiways clear.

Bianca Thrasher-Starobin, a consultant and lobbyist in Atlanta, flew into New York Wednesday morning for an event and planned to fly out the same night.

“I’m trying to get out of this weather. I would have stayed longer but I just can’t take that chance,” she said as she raced through LaGuardia Airport.

Bus and train travelers were also bracing for cancellations and delays.