Cross-Country Winter Storm Slams Post-Thanksgiving Travel

# Cross-Country Winter Storm Slams Post-Thanksgiving Travel  
## Major Disruptions Hit Millions Heading Home 

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A powerful coast-to-coast storm is hammering post-Thanksgiving travel, turning highways slick, grounding flights, and placing nearly 49 million Americans from the Rockies to the Northeast under winter weather alerts. Many travelers who delayed their return to Monday or Tuesday are discovering that Mother Nature had different plans entirely.

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## ❄️ Nationwide Travel Chaos
- A storm that began in the Rockies Friday has grown into a sprawling cross-country system.
- **49 million people** in northern states are under winter weather alerts.
- Frigid Arctic air is diving south, sending temperatures crashing ahead of December.
- As of Sunday afternoon:
  - **700+ flights canceled**
  - **9,400+ delayed**  
  - This follows **1,900 cancellations on Saturday**, mostly in the Midwest.

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## ✈️ Flight Disruptions Across Major Hubs
- **Chicago O’Hare** remains the hardest hit:
  - 280+ cancellations Sunday  
  - 1,300+ delays  
  - 8.4 inches of snow fell Saturday — a **record November snowfall**.
  - Over 1,100 flights canceled Saturday alone.
- **NYC and Boston** delays increased Sunday due to low ceilings, strong winds, and holiday traffic.
- **Des Moines Airport** temporarily shut down after a Delta Connection flight slid off the runway.  
  - No injuries were reported.
  - The aircraft left the paved surface during taxiing in icy conditions.

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## 🌨️ Snowfall, Crashes & Dangerous Roads in the Midwest
- Snow blanketed Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan through the weekend.
- Iowa State Patrol rescued **close to 200 stranded drivers** by early Saturday afternoon.
- **“Road conditions are deteriorating very quickly,”** authorities warned.
- Illinois transportation officials urged drivers to stay home if possible.
- In Indiana:
  - A **35-car and 10-semi pileup** shut down I-70 for five hours.
  - 11 people were transported with minor injuries.
  - Over 200 crashes and slide-offs reported statewide.
- Minnesota saw a **fatal pre-holiday storm incident**:
  - A 69-year-old man was killed by a falling snow-covered tree.

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## 🌬️ How the Storm Is Moving
- Began in the Pacific Northwest Thursday night → Rockies Friday → Midwest Saturday.
- Snow for the Great Lakes, rain from the South to the mid-Atlantic through Sunday.
- By late Sunday, the storm pulls away from the East Coast.
- Arctic air surges in behind it, plunging temps across the central U.S.

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## 🌨️ The Wintry Side of the System
- Widespread accumulating snow is expected from:
  - The Rockies  
  - Through the Plains and Midwest  
  - Into Appalachia  
- First storm of the season to blanket this wide a region.
- Snowplows struggled to keep up in multiple states, with wind and whiteout conditions worsening visibility.
- Authorities emphasize:
  - Slow down  
  - Increase following distance  
  - Avoid unnecessary travel  

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## 🌧️ The Rainy Side
- Heavy rain and a few thunderstorms stretch across the South.
- Localized flash flooding possible in parts of the:
  - Southeast  
  - Gulf Coast  
  - Lower Mississippi Valley
- Travel delays likely in cities such as:
  - Atlanta  
  - New Orleans  
  - Houston  
  - Dallas  
- Rain moves offshore Sunday night, but wet roads linger.

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## 🌬️ Another System Coming Right Behind It
- A new storm forms early Monday over the Ark-La-Tex region.
- Expected to bring:
  - Snow to areas previously untouched this weekend (Ohio & Tennessee Valleys)
  - More wintry weather to the Northeast and New England
  - Possible **significant icing** in parts of the Appalachians
- Houston, New Orleans, and Atlanta face a **Level 1 of 4 excessive rainfall risk** Monday.

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## 🥶 Winter Air Arrives in Force
- Arctic air plunges into the Plains and Rockies:
  - Highs only in teens and 20s across northern states.
  - Wind chills drop sub-zero in parts of the Dakotas and Upper Midwest.
- Sunday:  
  - Central U.S. temps fall **15–20 degrees below normal**.
  - Some Midwest areas end up **30 degrees below normal**.
- Cold expands eastward with freezing temps across most of the Lower 48.
- Monday–Tuesday will be brutally cold before moderation midweek.
- Meteorologists warn the Arctic blast may preview more polar vortex disruptions in December.

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## ✅ What’s Happened So Far
- Heavy snow across the Midwest  
- Widespread flight cancellations  
- Multi-vehicle pileups and road closures  
- Airport shutdowns and runway slide-offs  
- New storm developing behind the current one  
- Arctic blast spreading nationwide  

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## ❓ FAQs  
### 1. Which cities are most affected by flight delays?  
Chicago, Boston, New York, and Des Moines have seen the most significant disruptions.

### 2. How dangerous are Midwest road conditions?  
Authorities report hundreds of crashes, multiple pileups, and rapidly worsening visibility.

### 3. When will the current storm exit the East Coast?  
Late Sunday evening.

### 4. Is another storm coming?  
Yes — a second system will develop Monday and bring more snow and rain across large parts of the country.

### 5. How cold will it get?  
Much of the northern and central U.S. will see temperatures 15–30°F colder than normal, with sub-zero lows in some areas.

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