Chicago: The central United States was caught in the grip of a historic winter storm Wednesday, buried by drifting snow and sleet that closed major highways and grounded thousands of flights.
The storm — one of the largest winter storms since the 1950s, according to NASA — stretched for more than 3,000 kilometers (2,000 miles) from Texas to the northeastern state of Maine, and forecasters warned travelling could be deadly.
Officials warned the public to stay at home rather than try to brave the crippling and potentially record-breaking storm.
High winds and freezing rain turned roads into deadly ice rinks and knocked down trees and power lines. By late Tuesday more than 60,000 customers had lost power in Indiana alone, in addition to 22,000 in Ohio, local media said.
Forecasts warned of dangerously cold temperatures, blinding snow and massive drifts as high as six to eight feet (1.8 to 2.4 meters.)
“lurking behind this impressive winter storm is a powerful shot of Arctic air as a frigid surface high drops down from central Canada,” the weather service warned.
Bismark, North Dakota was an icy -28 degrees Celsius at 0730 GMT, with wind that could cause frost bite on exposed skin in less than five minutes.
Wind chills were forecast to drop to 30 to 50 below in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, the Dakotas, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota and even parts of Texas.
States of emergency were declared in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Oklahoma and the National Guard was called out to help rescue stranded motorists.
Emergency warming shelters were also set up for people whose homes lost power.
Thousands of schools and government offices were closed and many businesses shuttered.
Snow had already piled up to as high as 20 inches (51 centimeters) in Oklahoma by 0300 GMT and was falling fast and hard in parts of Texas, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri and Kansas.
FlightAware reported that airlines grounded more than 6,700 flights on Tuesday — about 20 percent of US commercial flights — and had canceled almost 4,000 before dawn Wednesday.
Most of the airlines at Chicago’s O’Hare airport — one of the busiest in the world — stopped operating after the blizzard set in Tuesday afternoon and said they “will have limited or no operations” Wednesday, the airport said.
Chicago was expected to be among the hardest hit with up to two feet (60 centimeters) of snow and officials warned plows would not be able keep the streets clear.
Illinois State police said much of the state’s highway system was snow covered with large stretches “impassible.”
In Missouri, where at least one woman was reported killed after losing control of her car, the state closed Interstate 70, a major highway, from one end of the state to the other.
“I can’t tell you how many slide-offs we’ve had,” Captain Greg Kindle of the Missouri State Patrol told The New York Times. “We’re at the point where we’re not towing them out.”
The National Weather Service also warned that shoveling 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 city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was reported at a near standstill after a record 14 inches (35.5 centimeters) of snow was blown into deep drifts and collapsed the roof of a Hard Rock casino.
“There are hundreds and hundreds of cars stranded in the city, from private to emergency vehicles,” Paul Strizek of the city’s public works department told the Tulsa World, which announced that for the first time in its history, it would not publish a newspaper on Wednesday.
Dear TNT Reader,
At The News Tribe, our mission is to bring you free, independent, and unbiased news and content that keeps you informed and empowered. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism, as we understand that we are a platform for truth.
Apart from independent global news coverage, we also commit our unique focus on the Muslim world. In an age marked by the troubling rise of Islamophobia and widespread misrepresentation of Muslims in Western media, we strive to provide accurate and fair coverage.
But to continue doing so, we need your support. Even a small donation of 1$ can make a big difference. Your contribution will help us maintain the quality of our news and counteract the negative narratives that are so prevalent.
Please consider donating today to ensure we can keep delivering the news that matters. Together, we can make a positive impact on the world, and work towards a more inclusive, informed global society.
Donate Monthly Subscription Annual Subscription