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Subscribe to RSSThe powerful storm made for dicey driving conditions in Iowa, causing a 25-car pileup. In Wisconsin, the governor declared a state of emergency. And in the South, several tornadoes spawned from the same weather system. NBC's Kevin Tibbles reports.
The first major wintry storm of the season hammered the Midwest on Thursday, causing a pileup in blizzard conditions that killed three people, dumping a foot of snow in some areas and creating travel problems during one of the busiest periods of the year. Those travel woes could extend into the Northeast, with high winds and rain expected there Friday.
Nearly 600 flights were canceled at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport on Thursday, according to FlightStats, and an additional 700 were grounded at Kansas City International, Midway (Chicago), Detroit Metropolitan, Minneapolis-St. Paul International and other Midwest airports.
Southwest Airlines canceled all flights at Midway starting at 4:30 p.m. local time, NBCChicago.com reported.
Full coverage of the storm at The Weather Channel
The storm system also spawned a tornado that flipped vehicles in Mobile, Ala., and cut power to 400,000 homes and businesses. Some 130,000 were still without power Thursday afternoon.
At least six deaths were tied to the snowstorms: In Iowa, three people died Thursday in a pileup involving more than 30 vehicles on Interstate 35, NBC affiliate WHO-TV reported; in Wisconsin, slick road conditions led to two fatalities; and in Utah, a woman who tried to walk for help after her car became stuck in snow was found dead, officials said late Wednesday. Search and rescue crews on snowmobiles found her buried in the snow just a few miles from her car.
Snow, whipped by 50 mph wind gusts, have been causing white outs and leaving residents in the dark. The Weather Channel's Mike Seidel reports.
Blizzard or winter storm warnings were issued for 16 states on Thursday, Weather Channel meteorologist Mike Seidel told TODAY.
Northeast cities can expect rain and high winds from the system Friday morning, said NBC meteorologist Bill Karins. Most of the snow should move into Canada Friday night.
A foot of snow fell on Des Moines, Iowa, by early Thursday and residents across the state were urged to stay off the roads.
"Because of the wind, travel is pretty treacherous, especially into Iowa, as the storm moves east," National Weather Service meteorologist Scott Dergan said.
The snow cover will drag temperatures much lower in Iowa and Nebraska, he added. "We're talking single digits. We may even see some sub-zero temperatures in Nebraska. This cold weather will stick around for several days, maybe until the day after Christmas. So we're definitely going to have a white Christmas."
Iowa State Police
Some of the vehicles involved in a pileup on Interstate 35 in Iowa are seen Thursday.
Blowing snow led to school closures in parts of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. All state government offices also closed in Iowa. Storms in those four states left around 130,000 homes without power.
"Thundersnow" was reported in Iowa Wednesday night, as thunder and lightning accompanied the storm as it trekked across the state.
Dietra Tate / NBC 15
This vehicle at a car dealership was flipped over by a storm in Mobile, Ala., on Thursday, Dec. 20.
In Alabama, a tornado peeled the roofs off homes and buildings and toppled vehicles in Mobile, but caused no serious injuries, Al.com reported. Arkansas also saw damage from high winds.
The storm system earlier delivered heavy snow and strong winds to parts of the West, where trucks tangled on icy roads on the Oregon and California state line.
Snowstorm prompts state of emergency in Wisconsin
In West Texas, winds from the same system kicked up a dust storm Wednesday that caused accidents along Interstate 27, resulting in one death and more than a dozen injuries, NBC affiliate KCBD reported.
At Dallas-Fort Worth airport, American Airlines said it canceled about 120 flights Wednesday night due to the storm.
In Nebraska, snow blowing sideways on Wednesday night forced the closure of a 146-mile stretch of Interstate 80, a major east-west highway.
Much of the nation is dealing with a big blast of winter as a massive snowstorm barrels from the Rockies to the Midwest, with some parts of Colorado buried under more than a foot of snow. NBC's Mike Seidel reports.
In Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker declared a state of emergency on Wednesday. Schools were canceled in advance of heavy snowfall and the University of Wisconsin-Madison postponed Thursday’s final exams.
Before the storm, several Midwest cities had broken records for the number of consecutive days without measurable snow.
In Chicago, people made a run on snow shovels and salt ahead of what should be the first snow to hit the city in 290 days (the record is 296).
The storm has package delivery companies nervously checking the weather forecast during this busy time of year. "We’re closely monitoring the storm," FedEx spokesman Scott Fiedler told NBC News. "We have a team of 15 meteorologists who track the weather around the world every day."
Related: UPS, FedEx weather experts work on timely deliveries
Related: Chicago braces for 'thundersnow'
Related: Bad in US? Try Russia, where some parts as low as 50 below
Related: Slideshow of wintry scenes around the world
Along the East Coast, the I-95 corridor isn't expected to see much, if any, snow.
"Snow may make it as close to New York City as Western Connecticut but right now, other than a few flurries Friday night, I think New York City through Boston will be mostly snow-free," Tom Niziol, the winter weather expert at The Weather Channel, told NBC News.
"Areas to the southeast of the Great Lakes, from Cleveland through Syracuse will get heavier snowfall," he added. "Higher elevations from the Adirondacks through the western slopes of the Central Appalachians will also get snow."
NBC News' Isolde Raftery and A. Pawlowski, as well as The Associated Press and Reuters, contributed to this report.
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These are signs of dec 21 doom that's about to be place on human kind
Christmas won't be the same this year!
Glad that people will have a white Christmas, please be safe and enjoy :-)
This is the flip side of climate change. Due to hotter temperatures during the spring, summer, and fall the air is able to retain more water in the form of vapor. When this moisture laden warm air comes in contact with cold fronts we end up with an increase in snowfall that often exceeds previous records. The difference is that the winter will be shorter and snow melts much faster than solid ice. this means that in addition to the rainfall we will experience in the spring we will also have an increase in snow-melt. This will result in record flooding during the spring. Don't worry, it will be hot soon enough due to the shorter spring then you can go back to crying about the record heat and droughts again as our crops wither and die.
Al Gore is a hypocrite.
You're completely wrong on all counts saturnsrim. The atmosphere does not retain heat after the sun goes down or when the seasons change. You REALLY need to educate yourself about meteorology, climatology, and atmospheric physics, to see how it all works, instead of spreading ignorance.
Rex-1306908
Air temperatures are warmer than in previous years therefore they retain more moisture than cooler air temperatures. Daytime temperatures are higher than previous daytime temperatures recorded for the same time in previous years and night time temperatures are higher than previous night time temperatures recorded for the same time in previous years. This means that the air retains more moisture for the same period in previous years. Look at the humidity index for this year in relation to what was recorded in previous years for the same period in the year. you will see a steady increase in the amount of humidity that is recorded for each season as well as a decline in the lengths of time for weather associated with winter, spring and fall and an increase in the types of weather associated with the summer months. Now look at the thermal temperatures in the region of the atmosphere where greenhouse gasses are trapped and you will see a steady increase in temperature. Now look at ocean and soil temperatures and you will see a steady increase in ocean temps resulting in the depletion of living reefs and acidification levels which affect shellfish harvests and fish populations. Rises in soil temperatures affect water retention and the environment necessary for the growth of forests and crops. It also affects exfoliation of rock material causing expansion which results in landslides and increased tremors and quake activity. My majors in college were Biological Sciences, Ocean Chemistry, Climatology with Atmospheric Physics, and Geology. What are your areas of expertise?
My post went where? Maybe because it was critical of the inane caption about "snow-bound traffic" which is anything BUT.
A comment about shoveling snow/cutting grass for money. I was raised in a home by Democrat parents, my father, a World War II veteran. We were taught to shovel snow and cut grass for the older people in our neighborhood for FREE. We were taught not to accept money but to do it as an act of kindness....usually we would try to do it when they wouldn't see us, so they wouldn't try to press money on us. That also includes raking the leaves in the fall. At one time we were taking care of the lawns/sidewalks for four neighbors in addition to our own. That's the value of kindness over money, why don't you teach your kids THAT?
Some folks are really depending on the snow to pay the bills and it is their business. However I get what you are saying and it is very good advice. Under the video for this article is a quote MSN put there that says: Practice Acts of Kindness, well it was there moments ago. I guess someone paid big bucks to post this quote from the bible, some one like you who was raised in a different generation to shovel the walk for our elderly neighbor or give a hand with leaves in the Fall, all without pay, just in kindness.
We all need help from neighbors, friends and family from time to time when life storms hit us hard. Practicing random acts of kindness can change this country. We need to get away from a culture of anger and hatred to one of peace and love. Thanks for reminding us all.
I think the poster was trying to get at that kids are too lazy these days that even money couldn't get them outside to shovel the snow. I used to shovel snow for the neighbor lady and she knew I wouldn't accept any payment so instead she would make me a hot bowl of soup to warm up with after shoveling the driveway. I also remember having a niece or nephew of hers that lived a couple hours away call and make a day that he would take her away for her birthday in the fall so I could rake her leaves. Even though she knew it was me and I knew she knew, I would always claim it wasn't me so then she wouldn't pay me. I also remember when I was 12 and home alone in a storm, one of our trees fell down across the road and all of my neighbors came out to clean it up in the pouring rain. The funny thing was the face of the road commission truck that drove by that was going to push it off the road. I think most of the days where a neighborhood is like an extended family are gone. That is fairly sad.
Wisconsin Governor Walker calls for a state of emergency for a winter storm. Really, now there is a waste of tax payers money.
It's gunna snow till tomorrow when the world ends, they will discover us in about 10,000 years frozen in position like Pompeii, THAT was global warming.
Why don't you have any pictures of heavy snowfall? The "snow bound" traffic picture must have all of an inch on the ground.
Media makes mountains out of mole hills. Where's the beef?
Ahhh . . . go to Faux "News" website if you want to see fake, doctored-up pictures, Yankee!!!
What a bunch of nonsense, worring about the cold.
Why the forecast everywhere on earth tomorrow is for smoldering skies, high of 1205 degrees fahrenheit, a low of 1165, and overcast with trillions of meteors. Sounds like a good day at the beach, and we can thank the Mayans for it.....THANKS GUYS.....
One foot of snow is nothing, unless you are talking about Miami in May. In the midwest or north, thats no big deal. Our TV news keeps talking about 'all the snow' and shows some person shoveling 2 inches off a sidewalk. But I do feel for anyone who has to shovel. Grew up doing that all winter long. Now live in a place where one foot would be a lot of snow. We get some, but you can mostly ignore it and it will melt in a day or two. Snow is pretty to look at, a pain to live in.
Ok, where are all the commentors from last week saying that tornadoes were rare in the South in December??? Happens just about once or twice every year somewhere down here because we get a warm spell and then a major cold front comes in. I am not surprised at all. Year-round preparedness.
I am sick of all the people who believe in global warming... and all the scientific proof...if you type in global cooling you get scientists to tell you about this too... use common sense... how many times has there been an ice age proven by scientists? well they say two, thats more than one so that would mean that it has been warm then cold then warm then cold...with, i would say, quite a few less people on the planet. its weather!
secondly...lets go the other way for a minute...if the scientists say the earth was once covered in water...well then maybe we are going back to "normal" what are going believe??
OK lets go another way...lets go with the gloabla warming aspect...how come with all we are doing for global warming we are not seeing any change for the better??? according to the scientists we have the warmest spring this year?? but if you read some of the research they always use the term adjusted temperature... why adjusted...how about actual temperature....more spin?
so whats it going to be...panic or common sense. the only problem is when it does start to cool down all the Al Gore lovers will say ...oh see all we done for global warming worked...I say BS!...
I say what we need to focus on is society and move away from greed and focus on the family... remember the country when only one person had to work to provide for the family...think about it...
I way what we need is for people who want to ignore or just don't understand the science to stop foisting their ignorant or uninformed opinions on the rest of us.
ask the global warming nuts ... WHAT SHOULD THE TEMPERATURE BE?????? POSSIBLY what we have NOW is to cold and SHOULD BE WARMER..
If you don;t understand the science, perhaps you should not make it so obvious by trying to comment on it.
It's Sunny and 73 degrees where I live. Suck on that Northerners.
Okay now we just need to get some snow in Michigan for a white Christmas.
.
Looks like you've got a white out!
Has to be some snarky comment about the whole "white out" term. What are you trying to say...
For crying out loud, MSNBC, it is not "blizzard conditions" it is a blizzard. Period. Doesn't matter if snow is falling, if it is blowing around and you can't see, it is a blizzard. Look it up.
Middle School "Journalists" don't know how to do research.
THAT storm was a little one. The next one coming is a little bit bigger. Look to the west, you will see what I am talking about....
Anyone notice the nice quote MSN has put under the video? "Practice acts of kindness" #26Acts, something we need in this world we live in especially when we find ourselves struggling to get through a blizzard. We all need to be more patient and kind to each other in order to get through whatever storms life brings your way.
MSN, hope to see daily quotes reminding to treat each other the way we would like to be treated. We need to change the social consciousness in this country from anger and hatred to peace and love, at least we should try a little every day in some small way.
Happy Holidays everyone, be careful driving. Someone u love is waiting for you to arrive safely.
Think about how many needless tragedies could be avoided if we banned holiday travel?
remember 15 years ago when the head of the climate inst. stated to take your kids out to see snow soon cause it was never gonna happen again, guess he was wrong again. in the photos the snow makes everything look cleaner so lets hope they get a lot this year
Global warming is cool!
If you understood the difference between "climate" and "weather" you wouldn't think so.
and -god has all the answers. Did you read a book someone wrote to convince you global warming is real?
If you knew the difference between knowledge and gullibility you wouldn't think so. Or something like that.
winter happens..... if you have to go somewhere, dress appropriately, have a shovel in your trunk, and a heavy blanket in the backseat, and some candy or nutrition bars, plus water.
Anyone griping about the snow, i am more than happy to have it all sent south. i would probably be the only person out driving since they don't get much, but i would enjoy every snowflake..
Tis the season!!
Gotta love the Jacka$$ media!
Why all the weather sensationalism? Think about it… What winter storm does not
impact a dozen or more states in its trek? All of a sudden there is this trend
to create the appearance the weather is getting worse, just so the liberal BS
about global change due to man can be proliferated.
A-holes!
Why would a story about a winter storm have anything to do with climate change? They report it because it is happening. That's what they do.