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Nearly 6,500 flights have been delayed or canceled on the busiest tourist day of the year as the US braces for a once-in-a-generation storm that will affect nearly every state and ensure a white Christmas in the Midwest.
Snow already started falling in the Midwest Wednesday night and will only intensify through Thursday and Friday with temperatures dropping 40 degrees in Wyoming in just half an hour.
For those hoping to catch flights home for the holidays, they could be in for another nightmare, much like the summer travel season, with many flights cancelled, especially in the Midwest.
Of the nearly 4,500 delays as of Thursday around 2 p.m., Chicago O’Hare ranked first for the most delays with 180. Denver International came in second with 150 and Chicago Midway third with 14.
All three also ranked at the top of the cancellation list with Chicago O’Hare postponing 275 flights, Denver postponing 261 and Chicago Midway postponing 133, according to reported flight.
Nearly 6,500 flights have been delayed or canceled on the busiest tourist day of the year as the US braces for a once-in-a-generation storm (pictured: Chicago travelers)
Of the nearly 3,000 delays as of Thursday around noon, Chicago O’Hare (pictured) ranked first for the most delays with 180. Denver International came second with 150 and Chicago Midway third with 14
All three also ranked at the top of the cancellation board with Chicago O’Hare (pictured) postponing 175 flights, Denver postponing 261 and Chicago Midway postponing 133.
The busiest travel day could bring back memories of summer with delays and cancellations as travelers across the Midwest are expected to experience an apocalypse of snow, with some areas reaching as much as 24 inches (Pictured: Travelers at a New York airport Minnesota)
A traveler from Minnesota got festive while riding through the airport with his kids while wearing a Santa hat.
Many travelers waited in line at Terminal 1 of the MSP Airport in Minnesota before their vacation trips
Northeast Illinois, where Chicago is located, is under a winter storm warning from noon today until 6 a.m. Saturday with the area expected to get three to six inches of snow, but could get as much as one inch. per hour.
With wind gusts up to 50 mph and wind chills as low as 25 to 35 below zero from tonight through Friday night, Chicago and surrounding areas can expect wispy conditions and roads to be icy overnight.
A few more states, in Wyoming, have already begun experiencing complete blackout conditions and extreme straight-line winds.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol posted videos showing conditions in Cheyenne, and encouraged residents to “stay home.”
The policeman’s car can be seen rattling as snow lashes at the hood of his car in a tornado-like effect. The only things visible in the commotion are the car’s headlights.
‘Current view from a Troopers car in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Current conditions outside of Cheyenne are -18 with zero visibility,’ the Wyoming Highway Patrol wrote in a Facebook post.
Winter Storm Elliot is expected to dump heavy snow across the Midwest and Plains through Thursday and Friday, with some areas reaching as much as 24 inches.
This could be the coldest Christmas weekend in decades, as many US states are plunging into the 15 degree range, and the Great Plains get as cold as -30F
Wind chill will also be an issue on the Great Plains, which could get as low as -50 degrees.
A Minnesota highway is already covered in snow and piled up from accidents Wednesday night.
The Capitol building in Iowa is barely visible as a heavy snow falls on Wednesday night.
In another video, an emergency vehicle can be seen with its lights on as snow falls on the roads. The pavement is barely visible.
“No, the Trooper didn’t take a wrong turn and end up in Antarctica,” he joked.
It also revealed that soldiers had responded to more than 780 calls for service, including nearly 200 motorists needing assistance and more than 100 accidents.
Winter Storm Elliot has intensified to be classified as a ‘bomb cyclone,’ which can bring blizzard-like conditions across the Plains area, the Midwest, and the Great Lakes. The east and south can also expect a possible flash freeze due to strong winds, according to the weather channel.
Blizzard warnings have been issued for parts of the Northern Plains, Upper Midwest, and Great Lakes, with Buffalo, Des Moines, and Grand Rapids having the highest chances of experiencing these conditions.
Winter storm warnings and weather advisories are in effect for the northern Plains through the mid-south, which includes Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Nashville and Memphis are located in areas of concern.
Near-extinction conditions were observed in Cheyenne, Wyoming (pictured) last night as high winds and snow reduced visibility
Denver also got some snow and visibility started to drop.
A farm is covered in snow in Minnesota on Thursday after a night of snowfall
The Weather Channel advises residents of those areas to avoid travel at all costs, as it could be “difficult or impossible.”
Rain is expected to hit the East Coast starting Thursday, which could turn into freezing rain or sleet across the Northeast, expect northern New England and upstate New York, according to the If Channel.
Rain is expected along the Interstate 95 corridor throughout Thursday.
On Friday, the storm will peak over the Great Lakes from northern Wisconsin to western New York.
The Northeast can expect bitter cold after the rain passes and turns to ice. Georgia and the Carolinas are expected to experience strong winds throughout Friday.
By the end of Friday, Erie, Pennsylvania, could see up to 18 inches of snow, while Buffalo can expect 12 inches. Cleveland is expected to get up to five inches of snow, while Boston and DC get one inch of rain.
By Saturday, the storm will move into the northern United States, but strong winds are still expected to last.