Bad weather hit U. S. schools closed and flights canceled
2023.02.23 03:24
Bad weather hit U. S. schools closed and flights canceled
By Kristina Sobol
Budrigannews.com – On Wednesday, a significant winter storm brought high winds, heavy snow, and hundreds of schools to the Upper Midwest and Northern Plains, putting an end to air travel and making road travel difficult, if not impossible, in some parts of the United States.
As the storm moved across a large portion of the western and northern United States and into the East on Wednesday morning, winter weather advisories were issued to more than 50 million Americans. According to the National Weather Service, there could be up to 2 feet (60 centimeters) of snow and winds of up to 60 miles (97 kilometers) per hour in some areas throughout the day and into Thursday.
People in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, were punished by winds up to 45 mph (72 kph), 17 inches (43 cm) of snow, and temperatures around 10 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 5 degrees Celsius).
Bre Bethke, a 37-year-old manager at M.B. Haskett Delicatessen, said, “It’s really cold, but people still want their coffee and eggs.” She was blasted by the severe weather each time she opened a drive-through window for a customer who was waiting.
“Our regular customers want to come here to escape the cold.” Yet, not today, not a chance. This is excessive.”
The storm also hit California hard and brought snow and sleet to the East, including New England, where forecasters warned drivers to be careful because of slick roads.
According to Frank Pereira, a forecaster at the Weather Prediction Center of the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland, ice-covered power lines and falling trees could cause power outages late Wednesday and into Thursday. Snow-covered roads will also make traveling dangerous in the Upper Midwest.
He stated, “Travel will be nearly impossible.”
Climate change, according to experts, is reflected in the increasing frequency and intensity of such storms, as well as periods of extreme heat and dryness. The weather service reports that while the East Coast has had a relatively mild winter, the Northern Plains have had an extreme winter in terms of snowfall and temperatures.
Minneapolis was one of the Midwest’s hardest-hit cities, with 20 inches (50 cm) of snow and winds of 45 mph (72 kph) expected to cause whiteouts.
At a press conference, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter stated, “We are bracing for what is likely to be one of the largest snowstorms in the history of Minnesota.”
In Minneapolis and St. Paul, which are neighboring cities, officials declared emergencies and advised motorists not to travel on the roads.
For the remainder of the week, the Minneapolis school system said it would hold classes remotely for more than 29,000 students. In Wyoming, Colorado, and the Dakotas, dozens of school districts canceled classes.
The storm had a devastating effect on morning flights. According to Flightaware.com, approximately 3,500 flights across the nation were either delayed or canceled, including 470 flights into and out of Minneapolis.
The weather service’s Pereira stated that it also produced a band of freezing rain that covered roads, trees, and power lines with up to a 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) of ice, extending from central Iowa through Chicago and into southern Michigan.
The storm struck California on Tuesday and was anticipated to persist through the week’s end. The weather service issued its first blizzard warning for the mountains of Los Angeles County since 1989.
