Severe blizzards with strong winds and heavy snow pounded the northern Plains and upper Midwest regions of the US on Wednesday.
Storms dumped up to two feet of snow across a wide region, stretching from the West Coast to the Great Lakes. The blizzards not only disrupted air travel, but also left thousands of homes without power and led to the closure of hundreds of schools.
Hundreds of thousands of properties were without power, according to data provider Poweroutage.us.
Winter advisories were issued
Winter weather advisories have been issued for more than 50 million Americans as the storm is expected to spread across the continental US.
According to the National Weather Service, up to 2 feet of snow (60 centimeters) and winds of up to 60 miles per hour (over 95 kilometers per hour) are expected in some areas on Thursday.
Heavy snow is also expected in the usually warmer regions near Los Angeles.
In the Midwest region, Minneapolis was one of the hardest hit cities, where about 20 inches of snow and 45 mph winds were expected to lead to whiteouts.
The journey stops
National Weather Service forecasters have warned of a “historic winter storm [that] will likely lead to an impossible trip” to Minnesota.
“We are preparing for what will likely be one of the largest snowstorms in Minnesota history,” said Mayor St. Paul Melvin Carter.
In Sioux Falls, South Dakota, sub-zero temperatures with heavy snowfall severely affected daily life. Motorcyclists were warned of slippery roads in New England as snow and rain also fell in the East.
Forecasters in Maryland said snow-covered roads will make travel dangerous in the Upper Midwest, adding that ice-covered power lines and downed trees could lead to power outages Wednesday and Thursday.
mf/rc (Reuters, AFP)
