Winter Storm Brings Heavy Snowfall to the Midwest, Disrupting Travel Plans
Heavy snowfall has been reported across the Midwest on Saturday as a winter storm pummels the central part of the country. Airports in Chicago have reported more than 900 flight cancellations so far on Saturday, and snow-covered roads are leading to dangerous travel conditions in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin.
Heavy snowfall has been reported across the Midwest on Saturday as a winter storm pummels the central part of the country. Airports in Chicago have reported more than 900 flight cancellations so far on Saturday and snow-covered roads are leading to dangerous travel conditions in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin.
Winter Storm Warnings and Travel Disruptions
Parts of the Midwest are seeing heavy snowfall from a major winter storm that is blasting the Central U.S. this weekend, causing travel headaches for millions of people as they return home from Thanksgiving plans. Winter Storm Warnings stretched across most of the Upper Midwest, covering areas from South Dakota and Nebraska to Ohio and Indiana through Sunday.
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Chicago and Milwaukee Bear the Brunt of the Storm
Chicago and Milwaukee are likely to be at the forefront of this storm, with snow really picking up on Saturday afternoon. Both cities are likely to see 8-12 inches of snow, with some places in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin potentially seeing more than a foot of snow by Sunday.
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More than 3 inches of snow was recorded at Chicago O’Hare as of Saturday afternoon. In Milwaukee, snowfall rates up to and over 1 inch per hour were possible into Saturday evening, according to the National Weather Service.
Snow has landed in Des Moines, Iowa, as a major winter storm blasts most of the Central U.S. with heavy snow. This storm is already causing travel trouble across Iowa and Illinois as major interstates are covered with snow.
Flight Cancellations and Road Conditions
On Saturday morning, roads in Chicago were partly covered with snow, according to Illinois Department of Transportation information. More than 900 flights to and from Chicago airports were canceled on Saturday, with more disruptions expected through this weekend. Flights to O’Hare were delayed on average by five hours through Saturday afternoon.
A ground stop was issued by the Federal Aviation Administration at both Midway and O’Hare due to deteriorating weather conditions on Saturday, temporarily halting flights at the major travel hub.
A ground stop has been issued at Midway International Airport and Chicago O’Hare International Airport as the major snowstorm continues to disrupt travel. FOX Weather Meteorologist Jane Minar breaks down how the nation’s airports are affected by the flight halt and how the implications could extend through the weekend.
“Chicago is by far the worst airport in the country when it comes to travel disruptions today,” FOX Weather Meteorologist Jane Minar said.
Video from Orland Park, Illinois this morning shows snow-covered roads creating dangerous travel conditions as a massive winter storm barrels toward Chicago. The city could see up to a foot of snow by weekend’s end.
Snowfall Totals and Road Conditions
In Springfield, Illinois, a Snow Emergency was declared through 8 a.m. CT on Sunday. Significant snowfall was recorded across parts of Iowa on Saturday morning, with between 3 and 5 inches reported in central Iowa cities.
Most of Iowa could see upward of a foot of snow by Sunday morning, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
Des Moines Airport has recorded nearly 4 inches of snow on Saturday as a winter storm dumps snow on the Midwest this weekend. FOX Weather Storm Specialist Mike Seidel reports from downtown Des Moines where heavy snow continues to fall and coat roads.
Iowa Department of Transportation traffic maps showed major interstates across most of the state fully covered in snow, and warned that travelers should be ready to change their plans to hit the roads.
The closer to the Great Lakes, the more likely it is to see much higher snow totals, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
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Travel Impacts and Forecast
If the forecast verifies for Chicago, it could be one of the snowiest two-day November snow events in the city’s history. A series of interstate highways across the Midwest have been affected by the major snowstorm in Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois.
Snow also stretched into Missouri on Saturday morning.
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Photos from O’Fallon, Missouri early Saturday showed snow-covered streets and cars in a neighborhood. The St. Louis metro area reported between 3 and 5 inches of snow on Saturday.
Roads in Missouri and Illinois area are covered in snow, leaving them slick and dangerous for travel. Several crashes and stalled vehicles on St. Louis highways have led to partial land closures on Saturday. Video from Maryville, Illinois, showed conditions.
Snow-covered highways in the St. Louis area led to multiple crashes and stalled vehicles, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation.
Video from Maryville, Illinois showed cars driving in the snowy conditions.
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