Massive winter storm threatens to bring snow and ice across US

Tomorrow is shaping up to be one of the worst days for air travel of the last year with more than 40% of flights already canceled at more than a dozen major US airports from Texas to Ohio due to a storm system working its way through the Midwest and South.

FlightAware data shows that US airlines have already canceled more than 2,600 flights on Thursday, making it the 10th worst day for air travel of the last year.

So far, more than 2,100 Wednesday flights have been canceled nationwide with mega-hub Chicago O’Hare and St. Louis hit the hardest by flight cancellations.

Southwest Airlines says it suspended operations in St. Louis today and is suspending operations in Dallas tomorrow.

FlightAware said 92% of Thursday departures have been canceled at Dallas Love Field, home of Southwest’s headquarters. Southwest Airlines has canceled a total of 23% of Thursday flights nationwide.

More context: Nearly one-third of all Thursday departures from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport have been canceled.

The airport is the largest hub for American Airlines, which so far has canceled 8% of its schedule.

The National Weather Service in Fort Worth, Texas, released a map for the region’s eight million residents, estimating when ice is forecast to move west to east.

Rain with freezing temperatures will continue during the next 12 to 18 hours. When it hits 32 degrees Fahrenheit, ice is slated to start forming on bridges and overpasses. And when it drops another two degrees, streets will start to get slick, the weather service warns.

By 6 p.m. CT tonight, the cities of Celina and Jacksboro will “start to get bad,” according to the NWS map. By 9 p.m. CT, Plano will be affected, and by midnight, Dallas will be the target. The system will continue to move east throughout the early morning hours.

See more key times in the map below:

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has declared a state of emergency ahead of a winter storm that is slated to pass through the commonwealth starting late Wednesday night and into Friday morning.

National Guard members, law enforcement and other authorities are expected to be pre-positioned near major interstates and roadways to respond to emergencies.

“This is something that is rarely done, but the predictions about this storm are again severe and we want to be ready,” he said.

Beshear urged residents to stay off roadways during the storm.

“If everything holds to where it is right now, this is the real deal. It is dangerous,” he said. “People need to be prepared and need to be prepared especially to stay off the roads tomorrow and potentially be ready to deal with this emergency for the next several days.”

The storm is expected to bring a significant amount of snow, rain, sleet and ice. Parts of the commonwealth are under a winter weather warning and flood watches are also in place, according to Beshear. 

“Ice accumulations — this is concerning — the expectation is anywhere from a quarter to three-quarters of an inch. Three-quarters of an inch is debilitating wherever it occurs,” Beshear said.

State offices will also be closed Thursday, and an executive order has been signed by Beshear to help protect against price gouging.

As heavy snow, sleet and ice affect a wide swath of the US, we’re adding up how much snow has fallen so far.

Check out this interactive map to view your area:

The National Weather Service in St. Louis, Missouri, is warning residents to be aware of wintry weather even if there is a break in the precipitation.

Roads are still dangerous to drive on, according to NWS.

Heavy snow is expected to move back into the area for round two of the storm, affecting Interstate 70, the service tweeted.

Santa Fe Public Schools, a district that serves 13,500 students in New Mexico, closed all its schools Wednesday after previously announcing a morning delay due to hazardous weather and driving conditions.   

The district said in a tweet it was closing schools “out of an abundance of caution” due to “snow and freezing temperatures” that would cause unsafe driving conditions. All after-school and evening programs are canceled as well.   

The district clarified that Wednesday is “NOT a remote day.”  

The Santa Fe area is expected to get up to four inches of snow, according to CNN estimates. 

More than 100 million people are under winter weather alerts stretching from the Rockies to New England, according to CNN estimates.  

CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam is on the ground at Notre Dame University in Indiana, where he said snow accumulation is up to about six inches so far on campus.

Both virtual and in-person classes have been canceled today.

Interstate 80 is being salted and plowed heavily, Van Dam reports, and traffic is moving along but there are massive delays west toward Chicago.

Here’s more on the forecast and what it looks like on the snowy campus right now:

Video Ad Feedback

6b99fc4e-9feb-454a-80f0-65ec5e76f4ce.mp4

00:53 - Source: cnn

A massive winter storm is expected to bring ice, rain, sleet and snow to a large swath of the country over the next two to three days.

The National Weather Service just tweeted out a map of areas that could be affected now through Friday. The map includes winter storm warnings as far west as New Mexico and Colorado and as far north as northern New York and Vermont.

Here’s a look:

The National Weather Service in Forth Worth, Texas, has updated its forecast for the winter storm, warning that residents should avoid traveling as “dangerous driving conditions are expected.”

The city of Bonham, which is north of Dallas, is forecast to get .5-.75 inches of ice, while the city’s eastern suburbs could see .25-.5 of ice.

Rain is expected to transition from freezing rain and sleet during the afternoon and evening hours to snow by Thursday. Very cold temperatures will continue into Saturday, according to the weather service.

Ice will remain on roads and bridges through Friday or Saturday.

A powerful winter storm is threatening parts of the United States with crippling freezing rain, sleet, and snow, and experts are urging Americans to be prepared.

Make sure you’ve done the basics:

Also, ensure you have all the grocery supplies you need.

These kinds of storms — and their aftermath — can cut off heat, power, or communication services. Since it’s unknown how severe the impacts will be and how long they will last, and amid supply chain problems that could further compound grocery shopping struggles, it’s rec commended to have at least three days’ worth of food and water for everyone in your home, says University of Buffalo assistant professor Joann Sands, who trains nursing students in disaster and emergency preparedness.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommends choosing groceries that have a long shelf life, don’t require cooking, and are not too salty or spicy, as such foods result in additional water consumption.

CDOT employees prepare for upcoming snow storm at CDOT maintenance facility in Aurora, Colorado on Monday.

A long-duration, significant winter storm will bring a combination of heavy snow, sleet and dangerous icy conditions to dozens of major cities across much of the Central Plains through the Midwest and into New England.

More than 100 million people in at least 25 different states, stretching from the borders of Mexico to Canada, are covered by winter storm alerts from the National Weather Service.

Here’s the latest city-by-city forecast:

Dallas

St. Louis

Chicago

Memphis

Louisville

Cincinnati

South Bend

Indianapolis

Detroit

Flight cancellations are climbing ahead of a new blast of winter weather that’s coming for some of the country’s busiest airports. 

Airlines have now canceled more than 1,300 Wednesday flights nationwide, according to flight tracking site FlightAware.

Chicago O’Hare, St. Louis and Detroit top the list of airports with the most canceled flights. 

Even more cancellations are on the horizon: Airlines have already canceled more than 1,600 flights on Thursday as the storm targets Texas.

Nearly 80% of all departures have been canceled at Southwest Airlines hub Dallas Love Field. Cancellations are also climbing at American Airlines hub Dallas-Fort Worth.

A street sign warns drivers of ice prevention operations on highways ahead of winter weather in Dallas, on Tuesday.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said his state is feverishly preparing for the approaching winter storm.

“Every state agency is in close communication and coordination to provide resources and valuable information to keep Texans safe during these winter weather conditions. Texans are urged to avoid driving on roads and closely monitor weather conditions and guidance from local and state officials over the coming days as we work together to keep our loved ones safe,” he stated.

According to the news release, the governor also addressed how the state is bolstering its generation capacity.

The Texas Department of Transportation started pre-treating roads on Sunday and will continue to do so in the coming days. In the meantime, Abbott is urging residents to stay off the roads when possible.

The governor also warned residents to avoid bringing generators in their homes because of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Portions of Texas are under a winter weather advisory, winter storm warning, and a winter storm watch, according to the National Weather Service. 

Gov. Asa Hutchinson has deployed the National Guard in preparation for a winter storm that is predicted to bring a quarter to a half inch of ice to various parts of the state. 

Hutchinson said in a briefing Tuesday that he has directed the prepositioning of national guard teams around the state. Approximately 88 National Guard members will be centrally located at various state trooper locations.

“In addition I’ve signed an executive order that will allocate $250,000 in anticipation of recovery efforts,” Hutchinson said. 

Hutchinson warned residents to be prepared for power outages.

Detroit mayor, Mike Duggan, activated snow emergency routes Tuesday ordering all vehicles be moved off the city’s 75 snow emergency routes on Detroit’s main roads by no later than midnight.  

The National Weather Service is forecasting potentially this week’s storm will bring one the city’s largest snowfalls ever; up to 15 inches of snow to Detroit. 

Duggan urged citizens to prepare in an afternoon news conference.  

The city of Detroit will have a fleet of fifty trucks that can be used as salt trucks or plows on the streets alternating in twelve-hour shifts starting Wednesday morning.

All of Dallas Independent School District schools and administrative offices will be closed Thursday and Friday due to a winter storm expected to impact the area north Texas. 

According to the National Weather Service (NWS) a winter storm watch remains in effect from Wednesday evening through Thursday afternoon for Dallas. 

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker issued a disaster declaration and activated approximately 130 members of the Illinois National Guard on Tuesday, in advance of the anticipated severe winter storm, according to a news release from Pritzker’s office.

The Illinois National Guard will help supplement the Illinois State Patrol, who will be deploying teams of troopers to assist stranded motorists across the state. Guard units will initially be deployed to the central part of the state, helping reduce response times and capacity to reach motorists. 

The soldiers and airmen will be assigned as winter weather platoons with each platoon consisting of approximately 18 soldiers equipped with six High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles and one Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck Wrecker, according to the release. 

Statewide, the Illinois Department of Transportation says it will also deploy more than 1,800 trucks and equipment to plow, treat roads and respond to weather emergencies.