Heavy snowfall cancels thousands of Midwestern flights
From Minnesota to Chicago, a massive storm cancelled thousands of flights, caused at least a half dozen weather-related deaths and caused the roof of a stadium to collapse in the past few days.
The massive storm was 1,500 miles at its widest part and dumped a foot and a half of snow in some areas.
The Chicago Department of Aviation said about 1,375 flights were cancelled at O’Hare airport, which was most affected by the bitter cold. Cots were set up for stranded passengers. Another 300 flights were cancelled at the city’s Midway airport, where flights were also delayed.
Winter weather warnings were issued for 30 states along the East Coast including a freeze warning in Florida, with temperatures in some areas expected to fall into the 20s.
In Minneapolis, the city was hit with the worst snowfall in almost 20 years with more than 2 feet of snow in some areas. The Metrodome (where the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings play) stadium’s roof collapsed under the weight of 17 inches of snow.
The snow hit Wisconsin and Minnesota the hardest but it also impacted Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.
Blizzard and winter storm warnings were in effect for Chicago and parts of northern Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri, Michigan and North and South Dakota. Upward of 20 inches (51 cm) of snow fell on some areas, the National Weather Service said.
22 inches (56 cm) of snow fell in the metropolitan area of Minneapolis-St. Paul, local media said.
“With the snow, pretty much the worst of it’s over, but we’re going to get cold temperatures through Tuesday"—well below zero with wind chill in some areas,” said a Minnesota-based meteorologist.
By David Wilkening
David
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