Agence France-Presse
First Posted 22:43:00 12/25/2009
Filed Under: Weather, Christmas, Holidays or vacations, Travel & Commuting
CHICAGO – A massive winter storm forced scores of US churches to cancel Christmas services on Friday as blizzards and freezing rain brought treacherous holiday travel conditions for millions of Americans.
At least 19 deaths were attributed to the nasty storm system blanketing the central United States states that began Wednesday and is not expected to clear before Saturday.
"This is a holiday mess," Chris Vaccaro, a spokesman for the National Weather Service (NWS), said Thursday of the second brutal winter blast to sock much of the United States in the past week.
"The storm is spanning two thirds of the country," Vaccaro told AFP.
"Its effects run the gamut from severe thunderstorms in the Gulf Coast to ice in New England to really what is a raging blizzard in the lower plains."
The northern parts of the massive system were expected to drop up to two feet (61 centimeters) of snow by Christmas Day while blizzard warnings were issued from North Dakota to Texas.
Churches in several states cancelled services for Christmas Day, citing the treacherous conditions, with local media outlets listing hundreds of closures.
Pastor Andy Richie in Mankato, Minnesota stressed that he wants people to stay safe. "Roads are bad. (We) don't want you coming out if you don't think you can make it back," he told local KEYC-TV.
The eastern US seaboard was also in for dangerous travel conditions Friday and into the weekend, with forecasters alerting to freezing rain and heavy downpours from North Carolina to New England.
Flood warnings were issued for parts of the northeast in anticipation of nominally rising temperatures later in the day, as snow melt begins following the record storms last weekend.
In the central states, the NWS warned of "dangerous or impossible" travel conditions.
"Ice accumulations and winds will likely lead to snapped power lines and falling tree branches that add to the danger," said the forecaster.
In north Oklahoma "a band of very heavy snow along with isolated thunder... was producing up to four inches of snow per hour," the Oklahoma City National Weather Service field office warned.
"Stay indoors until conditions improve. Only travel if absolutely necessary," the office said.
In North Dakota, weather forecasters said snowfall would reach up to 16 inches (41 centimeters) in some places, along with temperatures as low as minus 34 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 36 degrees Celsius).
Flood and tornado warnings were issued further south with roads in the state of Alabama underwater, and freezing rain and ice storms also threatened the states of Pennsylvania, North Carolina, the Washington capital region and the Appalachian mountains.
South Dakota, Texas and Oklahoma declared states of emergency and called up national guard troops to help dig out stranded travelers.
"I am urging all Oklahomans to take winter storm precautions and stay off the roads unless travel is absolutely necessary," Governor Brad Henry said.
Betsy Graupe lost count of the number of vehicles she saw in the ditch while driving from Chicago to see her family in Minneapolis, a journey of some 350 miles (570 kilometers).
"It was very, very bad out," said Graupe, who ended up pulling off the highway and spending Wednesday night in a hotel. "It was poor visibility, and icy and the road was rutted... it was quite an adventure."
The Kansas highway patrol reported five fatalities on the prairie state's icy roads.
Six people died on Nebraska roads -- including a Christian singer on his way home from a ministry training session and a fire captain -- the Omaha World Herald reported.
Three people were killed after a dust storm near Phoenix caused a 22-vehicle pileup, the Arizona Republic reported.
Three others were killed on the slippery roads in New Mexico, and one person died in a Minnesota crash, local media reported.
And along the southern US Gulf Coast, a powerful thunderstorm left one Louisiana man dead after a tree fell on his house, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported.
Hundreds of flights were cancelled Thursday at airports from Minneapolis to Dallas.
It is the second major weather system to sweep the United States in recent days, after a record-breaking snowstorm slammed the eastern seaboard at the weekend. That storm created travel chaos and cut short sales on what were traditionally major shopping days ahead of Christmas.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net
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US declares state of emergency across the Midwest
Sat, 26 Dec 2009 01:11:35 GMT
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A state of emergency has been declared across the Midwest in the US as a massive winter storm brings Christmas season travel to a standstill.
At least 19 people have been killed in road accidents forcing authorities to shut down highways in South Dakota, Texas and Oklahoma.
In Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where snowfall totals reached about 14 inches, crews were out in full force on Friday trying to clear roads, move abandoned cars and rescue motorists.
Forecasters have predicted more snow for areas already covered by heavy snowfall on Thursday.
The National Weather Service said widespread blizzard conditions would continue in North Dakota throughout Saturday, with snowfall totals reaching about 14 inches.
Hundreds of holiday travelers have also been stranded due to flight delays and cancellations
The snowstorm has caused power cuts to more than 10,000 homes and businesses. The Christmas services at churches have also been cancelled due to freezing temperatures and blizzards. Extreme weather has forced many Americans to cancel their holiday trips.
SG/SS/MMA
presstv.com
At least 19 people have been killed in road accidents forcing authorities to shut down highways in South Dakota, Texas and Oklahoma.
In Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where snowfall totals reached about 14 inches, crews were out in full force on Friday trying to clear roads, move abandoned cars and rescue motorists.
Forecasters have predicted more snow for areas already covered by heavy snowfall on Thursday.
The National Weather Service said widespread blizzard conditions would continue in North Dakota throughout Saturday, with snowfall totals reaching about 14 inches.
Hundreds of holiday travelers have also been stranded due to flight delays and cancellations
The snowstorm has caused power cuts to more than 10,000 homes and businesses. The Christmas services at churches have also been cancelled due to freezing temperatures and blizzards. Extreme weather has forced many Americans to cancel their holiday trips.
SG/SS/MMA
presstv.com
