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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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Leave a Comment:
With all this weird weather in the past year, it snow wonder so many think it's global warming ;) Merry Christmas!
well.... actually..... in states like north dakota, a warmer winter means a snowier winter. ---- it doesn't usually snow when it's below zero. ------ the heavier snowfalls occur when the temp. is in the 20's. ------ on the plus side of that, a person's heating bill tends to be less.
that being said.... where i am in southern oregon, our temps. so far this december have been a few degrees below average, and the extended forecast calls for more of the same. ---- so... my heating bill is going to be a bit higher than i would like. ----- on the plus side, it looks like we might have a white christmas, which is rather unusual for here.
Why is it that the national weather forecasters never mention the Rocky Mountain region? After drought conditions last summer, us folks living in the northern Colorado mountains received 3-6 feet of snow. It's good relief for drought conditions and the ski resorts are happy. I guess the national weather forecasters don't feel this is newsworthy.
Smlfry2,Colorado's snow was mentioned yesterday.
Every year,the same place ect the same weather and snow,and it's a surprise,,,
Traveling is a big con game for the masses.I used to do it,when it was cheap and easy.Now however it's a bother.
Stay home it's only a few days.Soon the new year scam will come and go,then it's four more years of,Obama.
Then hillary.
Easy for you to say, nobody WANTS you home for the holidays.
The Christmas Season has always been questionable,and the the commercialization of It is a total scam to make the sheep feel,like they have to buy gifts,lmao
I grew up in MA, moved to NH, then NC. I was used to SNOW. In NC the family I was staying with had a son in high school. One day he was home from school because of a dusting. Another day they canceled school because it was "too cold," and I was outside without a jacket! I know it's because they're not used to it, but it was just very funny. In New England (and I'm back there now), they don't cancel school until there is a foot, at least when I was a kid.
You're right, ECF, it's all what you are used to. I live in the middle of Wyoming. It really doesn't snow that much here, but when it does snow, the snow stays around forever because it stays so cold. It was four degrees this morning, and when it got up to 30 degrees this afternoon, I went outside and caught some sun with my dogs. 30 degrees is balmy here around Christmas time..... ;>)
Compared to the repukes,scrooge is a nice guy,,lmao
I lived in main,,enough said.
You spelled Maine wrong. Do you even know where it is?
They said this was going to happen...the end is very near!
The Maya said it was going to snow in Iowa?
Got any daughters who don't want to die virgins?
Snow sucks balls! Give me my 85 degrees.
ooooo, snow..... run for your lives!
Why don't we all just lock ourselves up in our little houses and never come out. Safety first!
Easy for you to say, wrapped in your warm blanket of ignorance and stupidity.
A lot of people are traveling for the holidays and a lot of travel plans are being changed or cancelled at the last minute. That's why the story is titled "Holiday Travel Alert"
Of course you don't care, nobody wants you home for the holidays anyway.
Too funny that you replied that way. Love to hear from -god once and a while.
Gotta do something with my otherwise empty life ;-)
Religious believers in global warming, all. Hey. Why is a twister in Alabama like a divorce here in Maine? Someone's gonna loose a single wide. Aa.
Ice sculpting season has begun; better late than never.
Just leaving to play in the snow catch you later
Your great government testing their TARRP weapon again,, Snowflakes and Diamonds and my book the spread, tell of these criminals today,, Making weapons of mass destruction and America all tagged and ready to go..I laughed my butt off when God told me,, Don't worry about publishing your books Chuck,, you will never see them published before my return,, I hold him to that too.. God bless this mess, hope you are right with the maker..Check out Taarp.. The Spread of what they say..LMAO
I think you mean HARRP.
Way to go Chucky, can't even get the name right LOL
These cold spells from time to time, and the so far 16 years of global cooling, are the reason those fakers changed the name of their globaloney cooling scam into the climate change hoax.
It's called winter. It has nothing to do with climate change, whcih is progressing just fine.
It's winter. Did people expect perfect, Utopian weather out there? If so, you're sadly mistaken. Welcome to the real world.
I have two words for people who drive in snow, SLOW DOWN!
I have six words for people who drive too slowly in the snow. "GET OFF THE ROAD, YOU PUSSY!"
This snow in Iowa was so wet that the traffic going over it just packed it down and plows couldn't remove it and it's hard as concrete. I-35/I-80 are like parking lots with speed bumps. It's hard to drive faster that 30 without your teeth falling out of your head. It SUCKS!
I wouldn't really blame the storm for this deadly pile-up. The proximate cause is the people who chose to drive despite the conditions.
Storms should be banned
WHY people live in those states I will never know...I grew up there and moved when I was 18, no regrets...To each their own.
good soil
Global warming is causing this, well, of course. Unusual storms are happening. Just because it may cause extreme snow and/or cold doesn't mean that global warming isn't the culprit. Global warming doesn't mean a constant warming of the earth without cold. This is extreme cold occurring. Simply, global warming is causing extreme weather, hot or cold, along with dangerous storms. Okay, now where's my cup of hot chocolate?
Oh and how could I forget about that good old weather machine the government has hiding away in Alaska? The HAARP machine might be at it again.
Global Warming Fail. LOL.
global warming is a bold faced lie and al gore knows it! i for one never believed in global warming. i knew it was and is total bullsh!t. this storm is more punishment for not putting the republicans back in the white-house.
nature is unhappy with how the "free world" is being run.