OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A major winter storm blanketed parts of the middle of the country with snow that was forecast into late Tuesday in some areas, disrupting traffic and closing some coronavirus testing sites.
The National Weather Service said at least 4 inches (10 centimeters) of snow is expected across most of an area stretching from central Kansas northeast to Chicago and southern Michigan. Parts of southeast Nebraska and western Iowa could get more than three times that much by Tuesday morning.
More than 10 inches (25 centimeters) of snow had already fallen in parts of eastern Nebraska by Monday evening, leading to early closures of several coronavirus testing sites in the state as well as Iowa. National Weather Service meteorologist Taylor Nicolaisen said 10 to 15 inches (25 to 38 centimeters) of snow was likely between York, Nebraska, and Des Moines, Iowa, and that it has been at least 15 years since that area received more than a foot of snow in a single storm.
“This is historic snow,” said Nicolaisen, who is based near Omaha, Nebraska.
The weather service forecast the snowfall that began around sunset Monday in northern Illinois was expected to get heavier overnight, with about 3 to 6 inches possible by early Tuesday. Meteorologist Bett Borchardt forecast snowfall up to 8 inches (20.32 centimeters) or more before it ends Tuesday evening.
The last comparable snowfall hit the area in November 2018, when 8.4 inches (21.34 centimeters) fell.
A winter weather advisory was issued Monday for northwest Indiana, where the weather service forecasted 3 to 5 inches of snow by the time the storm leaves the area Tuesday. A mix of freezing drizzle was expected in the region's southern area.
The break in the relatively mild winter in northern Illinois may mean the rest of the season could be more active, said weather service meteorologist Matt Friedlein.
“Now, more active does not necessarily mean more snow,” Friedlein told the Chicago Sun-Times. “If we stay on the milder side of things, that could be more rain or more mixed precipitation.”
Chicago on Monday warned residents that hazardous conditions are likely during Tuesday morning commutes and some power outages are possible. City officials have dispatched about 280 salt spreaders to clear main streets and have created warming centers in libraries and park facilities for residents who have no power or heat.
By late Monday, 120 flights had been canceled at O’Hare and 48 flights at Midway international airports, with 15-minute delays at both facilities.
Gary Mayor Jerome Prince declared a snow emergency late Monday, restricting where vehicles can park and prohibiting the pushing of snow from private property onto city streets. Prince also closed city-owned buildings and facilities until Wednesday.
Many schools and businesses closed Monday as the storm moved across the region. In western Iowa, Missouri Valley Superintendent Brent Hoesing reworked the lyrics of the 1970s hit “I Will Survive” to tell students in his district, “So Stay Inside."
Officials urged drivers to stay off the roads. Nebraska State Patrol troopers responded to more than 200 weather-related incidents Monday.
“Do not travel unless it’s absolutely necessary,” said Nebraska State Patrol Col. John Bolduc.
Roughly 250 semi trucks waited out the storm at the Petro truck stop alongside Interstate 80 in York, Nebraska. Manager Rachael Adamson said she could see knee-high drifts and that sidewalks needed to be shoveled every half hour.
“We haven’t had this much snow in quite a few years," Adamson said.
Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Alex Dinkla said numerous vehicles slid off roads in central Iowa.
“The big thing that people are seeing is that this snow system is packing a big punch,” Dinkla said to the Des Moines Register. “As we have seen this system move into Iowa, the road conditions go from zero snow on the road to an immediate totally covered roadway in just a matter of minutes.”
A section of eastbound Interstate 80 closed in central Nebraska Monday afternoon following a crash. And Missouri officials urged drivers not to travel on Interstates 29 and 35 in northwest Missouri into Iowa. The agency said most roads in the area were covered with snow.
”If northern Missouri or Iowa are part of your travel plan, please reroute or find a warm, safe place to wait out the storm,” the Missouri Transportation Department said.
In the South, a tornado touched down in an Alabama city north of Birmingham, damaging businesses and homes and toppling power lines and trees. Damage is being evaluated to determine the tornado's strength, which hit the Fultondale area of Jefferson County late Monday night, the National Weather Service in Birmingham said. Injuries ranging from minor to severe have been reported and search and rescue efforts are ongoing, said James Coker, the director of the Jefferson County Emergency Management Agency.
A tornado watch has been lifted in Jefferson County while nearby areas including Clanton and western Georgia are still being monitored.
In the Southwest, a storm was forecast to bring gusts and snowfall into Tuesday, the weather service said. Over the weekend, more than a foot of snow fell in Southern California’s mountains, making driving conditions hazardous. Interstate 5 was shut down Monday in the Tejon Pass between Los Angeles and the San Joaquin Valley. Wind, snow and ice also forced the closure of State Route 58 through the Tehachapi Pass.
Until recently, California had been experiencing significantly dry weather accompanied by relentless wildfires. A band of clouds suggested more rain could fall Tuesday in areas north and south of San Francisco Bay, bringing the threat of possible flash floods and landslides in areas scarred by the fires.
Sacramento-area National Weather Service forecasters predict an abundance of snow in the Sierra Nevada this week that will make travel difficult.
A major winter storm buried northern Arizona in snow on Monday while sending flurries to the outskirts of Las Vegas and Phoenix.
And most of Nevada was bracing for another series of powerful winter storms that could bring rare snowfall to the Las Vegas Strip late Monday or early Tuesday and several feet to the mountains above Lake Tahoe with winds up to 60 mph (96 kph) by Thursday.