A massive winter storm dumped snow, ice and sleet across a huge swathe of the US Tuesday, grounding thousands of flights, and bringing a wintry blast to 100 million people, or a third of the country. Schools and government offices were closed as officials warned of potentially deadly conditions.
High winds and freezing rain turned roads into deadly ice rinks and knocked down trees and power lines. Forecasts warned of dangerously cold temperatures, blinding snow and massive drifts. Blizzard, winter storm and freezing rain warnings were issued for more than half of the country's 50 states, from North Dakota and Colorado down to New Mexico, then up through Texas, Kansas and Missouri to the Great Lakes region and across Pennsylvania to New England.
Tornados and major thunderstorms were also predicted along the southern end of the storm in Louisiana and Mississippi. Snow had already piled up to as much as six to 12 inches (15 to 30 centimeters) in parts of Oklahoma, Texas, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Missouri by 9:00 am (1500 GMT), the National Weather Service reported.
For Chicago, the weather service said the "dangerous, multifaceted and life threatening winter storm" with high winds and heavy snowfall would make travel "impossible" at times. It offered residents an ominous warning: "Do not travel!" The agency also warned that shovelling sidewalks during such a significant snowfall can be deadly, noting that more than 40 people died of heart attacks in the aftermath of a 1999 blizzard in Chicago.
"Do not underestimate the task at hand," it said. The governor of Illinois declared a state of emergency and deployed 500 National Guard troops to help stranded motorists along the state's highways. A state of emergency was also declared in Oklahoma and Indiana.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) urged residents to prepare in earnest for the fury of the storm. More than 5,700 flights were cancelled by Tuesday morning and airlines protectively cancelled another 2,700 flights on Wednesday. Airlines warned of significant travel interruptions, offering customers a chance to rebook flights at no fee.