A powerful storm is bringing harsh weather to the United States, with heavy snow, cold and strong winds reported across several states. The National Weather Service said the weather system is affecting areas from Montana to Maine, and from Texas up to Pennsylvania.
More than 30 million people across the Midwest and Northeast are under winter weather alerts early this week, CNN reported. The dangerous conditions are already causing trouble for travellers and could make things worse on one of the busiest travel days of the holiday season.
‘Bomb cyclone’: Blizzard warnings and near-zero visibility in the Midwest
Meteorologists said the storm system could grow stronger as cold Arctic air crashes into warmer air. This clash may turn the system into a “bomb cyclone” over the Midwest and Great Lakes by Monday. A bomb cyclone forms when air pressure drops very fast, leading to severe and fast-changing weather.
At least 2 million people in the Midwest are under blizzard warnings, according to CNN. Winds in these areas could move at speeds between 40 and 60 miles per hour. These strong winds are expected to bring heavy snow through the air, resulting in near-zero visibility.
In many places under blizzard warnings, visibility could drop to less than a quarter of a mile, creating extremely dangerous driving conditions.
The National Weather Service warned that some areas could see very heavy snowfall in a short time. “We are anticipating some pretty big snows over the next 24 hours, especially across east central Minnesota to northern Wisconsin to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. A lot of those places will have 6-12 inches,” NWS forecaster told NPR on Sunday.
Thousands of flights delayed or cancelled
Air travel is the most impacted sector amid the worsening weather situation. More than 8,000 flights travelling within the US or going in and out of the country were delayed on Sunday. Over 700 flights were cancelled, according to FlightAware.
Chicago O’Hare International Airport had to halt operations as a ground stop was issued Sunday evening because of thunderstorms, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. This meant flights were temporarily not allowed to take off or land.
Major highways shut down
Road travel has become just as risky. A long stretch of Interstate 35 was shut down from Ames, Iowa, all the way to the Minnesota border. In Minnesota, travel on I-35 was marked as “Travel Not Advised,” according to the Iowa Department of Transportation. Weather officials warned that conditions on the roads could turn deadly as snow and strong winds continue.
Meanwhile, in New England, rain and freezing conditions are expected late Sunday into Monday. This could create icy roads and sidewalks. The Ohio Valley and areas along the I-95 corridor are likely to see mostly rain instead of snow.
The worst conditions are expected from Sunday afternoon through the overnight hours. The National Weather Service office in Des Moines, Iowa, strongly warned people against travelling during this time.
Along with winter weather, severe storms brought tornado threats to parts of the Midwest. A tornado watch was issued for areas of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Missouri until 8 pm Central Time on Sunday.
According to AAA, more than 109 million people are expected to travel by car for end-of-year trips. The storm also knocked out electricity in some areas. At one point on Saturday, more than 30,000 homes and businesses in Michigan were without power, according to poweroutage.us.
