US News

Winter storm packing snow, freezing rain moves across US

By
Associated Press
Published Feb. 3, 2022
Updated Feb. 3, 2022, 9:59 a.m. ET

A major ꦑwinter storm with millions of Ameꦡricans in its path brought a mix of rain, freezing rain and snow to the central U.S. on Wednesday as airlines canceled thousands of flights, officials urged residents to stay off roads and schools closed campuses.

The b🦹last of friౠgid weather, which began arriving Tuesday night, put a long stretch of states from New Mexico and Colorado to Maine under winter storm warnings and watches. On Wednesday morning, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan saw freezing rain, sleet and snow.

By midday Wednesday, some🏅 places had already reported snow totals exceeding or nearing a foot, including the central Illinois town of Lewistown with 14.4 inches (36.6 centimeters) and the northeastern Missouri 😼city of Hannibal with 11.5 inches (29.2 centimeters).

“And it’s still snowing across these areas,” said Andrew Orrison, a meteorologist with the Nati🃏onal Weather Service in College Park, Maryland.

Central Iཧllinois and northern Indiana appeared likely to receive the most snowfall, with𓃲 expected totals ranging from 12 to 18 inches (30 to 45 centimeters) by the end of Thursday, Orrison said.

By Wednesday, some places already reported snow totals exceeding or nearing a foot — as the blast of frigid weather put a ton of states on winter storm warnings and watches.
By Wednesday, some places already reported snow totals exceeding or nearing a foot — as the blast of frigid weather put a ton of states on winter storm warnings and watches. AP

Snow had begun to taper off in Missouri by early afternoon but much of the state could wind up with 8 inches to a foot (20 to 30 centimeters) of snow. Part🌠s of Michigan also co༺uld snow totals around a foot by Thursday.

In Chicago, Elisha Waldman and his sons welcomed the opportunity to hit a sledding h🐓ill Wednesday morning, even as snow continued to fall.

“Cold and wet and wonderful, and getting cold and wet is part of the fun with the guys, and we get to go inside and have hot cocoa and warm up,𝄹” Waldman said.

In Detroit’s western suburbs, Tony Haley also found an advantage to the weather. He owns a landscaping and irrigation company that offers snow removal and sal﷽ting services, but the early winter weeks offered few opportunities for business.

“This one here, we’re looking for a gooꦫd two, three days of work,” Haley said after clearing snow away from several businesses in Canton.

On Wednesday morning, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan saw freezing rain, sleet and snow.
On Wednesday morning, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan saw freezing rain, sleet and snow. AP
Central Illinois and northern Indiana were likely to receive the most snowfall, with expected totals ranging from 12 to 18 inches by the end of Thursday.
Central Illinois and northern Indiana were likely to receive the most snowfall, with expected totals ranging from 12 to 18 inches by the end of Thursday. AP

But for those on t♉he roads, the heavy snow created hazardous conditions.

“We’re receiving a lot of snow over here 🅺in northwest Indiana and it’s the wet, slushy snow that causes treacherous driving conditions to say the least,” Indiana State Police Sgt. Glen Fifield told WFLDꦏ-TV.

Heavy winter storm conditions called for a mix of rain, freezing rain and snow to the central U.S. on Wednesday, as officials urged residents to stay off roads.
Heavy winter storm conditions called for a mix of rain, freezing rain and snow to the central U.S. on Wednesday, as officials urged residents to stay off roads. AP

In central🐻 Missouri, officials shut down part of Interstate 70 midday after a crash 🐲made the roadway impassable.

Areas south of the heavy snow were expected to see freezing rain, with the heaviest ice predicted along the lower Ohio Valley area from Louisville, Kentucky, to Memphis, Teꦿnnessee.

“If everything holds to where it is right now, this is the real deal,” said Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who ordered state government officesꦑ to close on Thursday. “It is dangerous. People need to be prepared.”

The disruptive storm moved across the central U.S. on Groundhog Day, the same day the famed groundhog Punxsutawney Phil . The storm came on the heels  last weekend that brought blizzard 🐷conditions to many parts of the East Coast.

The storm’s path extended as far south as Texas, nearly a year after  in one of the worst blackouts in U.S. history. The forecast did not call for the same and the National Weather Service said the system would, generally, not be as bad this time f🍃or Texas.

The storm across the central U.S. comes on the heels of a nor’easter last weekend that brought blizzard conditions to various parts of the East Coast.
The storm across the central U.S. comes on the heels of a nor’easter last weekend that brought blizzard conditions to various parts of the East Coast. AP

🍒Early Thursday morning there wer🔯e over 46,000 power outages being reported in Texas and over 17,000 in Oklahoma, according to .

Snowfall totals reached 22 inches (56 centimeters) in Colorado Springs and up to 🅘10 inches (25 centimeters) in the Denver area, with more expected, prompting universities, state government offices and the Legislature to shut down.

Areas south of the heavy snow were expected to see freezing rain, with the heavy ice predicted along the lower Ohio Valley area from Louisville, Kentucky, to Memphis, Tennessee.
Areas south of the heavy snow were expected to see freezing rain, with the heavy ice predicted along the lower Ohio Valley area from Louisville, Kentucky, to Memphis, Tennessee. AP

Airlines canceled nearly 8,000 flights in the U.S. scheduled for Wednesday or Thursday, the flight-tracking service FlightAware.com showed. Airports in St. Louis, Chicago, Kansas City and Detroit canceled more flights than usual🌳. Almost 700 flights were canceled Thursday alone at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, and ꦦmore than 300 were canceled at nearby Dallas Love Field.

In an effort to stay ahead of the weather, Southwest Airlines announced Tuesday that it would suspend all of its flight operations Wednesday at St. Louis Lambert International Airpor🎃t and Thursday at its Dallas Love Field hub.

National Weather Service for𓂃ecasters in Little Rock put their o🙈wn spin on the Groundhog Day tradition with , Tarmac, and the caption: “SHADOWS EVERYWHERE! THE WINTER STORM IS HAPPENING!”