Snow, freezing rain descend upon US
CHICAGO – A major winter storm with millions of Americans in its path brought a mix of rain, freezing rain and snow to the middle section of the United States on Wednesday as airlines canceled hundreds of flights, governors urged residents to stay off roads and schools closed campuses.
The blast of frigid weather, which began arriving Tuesday night, put a long stretch of states from New Mexico and Colorado to Maine under winter storm warnings and watches. On Wednesday morning, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan saw freezing rain, sleet and snow.
The storm had already dropped heavy snow over much of Kansas and parts of Missouri by early Wednesday, with weather forecasters warning that the snow was only expected to intensify throughout the day. More than a foot of snow was expected in parts of central Missouri and Michigan, and up to a foot of snow was possible Wednesday and Thursday in central and northeastern Illinois. Twelve to 18 inches of snow was possible in areas of northern Indiana, said Andrew Orrison, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland.
In northwest Indiana, heavy snow Wednesday morning was creating hazardous
travel conditions, particularly on highway ramps, Indiana State Police Sgt. Glen Fifield told WFLD-TV. He urged residents not to travel if they didn’t have to.
Areas south of the heavy snow were expected to see freezing rain, with the heaviest ice predicted along the lower Ohio Valley area from Louisville, Kentucky, to Memphis, Tennessee.
In Colorado, snowfall totals reached 22 inches in Colorado Springs and up to 10 inches in the Denver metropolitan area, with more accumulation expected Wednesday that prompted universities, state government offices and the Legislature to shut down.
Airlines canceled more than 1,400 flights in the U.S. scheduled for Wednesday, the flight-tracking service Flightaware.com showed, including more than three-quarters taken off the board in St. Louis. Airports in Chicago; Kansas City, Missouri; and Detroit canceled more flights than usual, and more than 130 flights were canceled at Denver International Airport.
Southwest Airlines announced Tuesday that it would suspend flight operations Wednesday at St. Louis Lambert International Airport and Thursday at its Dallas Love Field hub.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson declared a state of emergency as school districts and universities shifted classes to online or canceled them entirely.
Illinois lawmakers canceled their three scheduled days of session this week as the central part of the state prepared for heavy snow, ice and high wind gusts in the region. In Oklahoma, Gov. Kevin Stitt declared a statewide state of emergency as the winter storm approached, with the emergency status to remain in effect for seven days.
On Wednesday and Thursday, the weather service said 8 to 15 inches of snow was possible in parts of Michigan. That includes Detroit, where the mayor activated snow emergency routes and city crews were expected to work 12-hour shifts salting and plowing major roads.