6 dead in US winter storm, hundreds of flights cancelled
WASHINGTON, December 29, 2018
Six people have been killed and hundreds of flights were cancelled in a severe storm system that caused blizzard conditions in the US Midwest and torrential rain and flood threats in the South of the country, said media reports.
More than 6,500 flights were delayed and some 800 more were cancelled, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware.
A mix of rain, snow and strong winds also made travel dangerous or impossible on roads, especially in the northern and central plains, where some areas could see more than a foot of snow before the storm subsides on Friday.
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in Texas - a major hub for American Airlines through which more than 200,000 holiday travelers were expected to pass - experienced the heaviest disruptions.
More than 450 flights were canceled and more than 600 others were delayed.
Whiteout conditions have hit the Midwest. A 100-mile stretch of I-80 in Nebraska was recently closed for hours because of snow, wind and ice. Wisconsin roads are also getting severe snow, reported CNN.
Intense storms have moved through parts of Texas, including one responsible for toppling over a billboard in the Houston area.
These rough conditions are likely going to cause nightmares for people traveling over the New Year’s holiday.
Blizzard warnings are in effect for roughly 1 million people in Minnesota, Nebraska and the Dakotas.
Flood watches and flash flood watches are in effect for more than 20 million people in a dozen states, including Alabama, the Carolinas and Georgia, stated the CNN report.
Atlanta, the city with the world’s busiest airport, could see half a foot of rain by the weekend, which will likely result in nationwide flight delays.
Authorities say at least two weather-related fatalities have been reported so far.
