Winter Storm Blankets Central United States with Snow and Ice

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A powerful winter storm swept across the central United States on Tuesday, leaving a trail of ice and snow in its wake. From North Dakota to Colorado, the storm caused widespread disruption, including airport delays, cancellations, and dangerous driving conditions.

According to David Roth, a forecaster at the Weather Prediction Center, the heavy snow conditions in the Plains are slowly improving. However, due to high winds, visibility remains extremely poor, with whiteout conditions persisting in many areas.

Residents in Bismarck, North Dakota, faced treacherous conditions as ice storms turned driveways into skating rinks. Laura Schmidt-Dockter, a local resident, even had to wear ice spikes on her shoes just to walk to the trash can. In a light-hearted moment, a neighbor was spotted gracefully skating down the street, a scene captured on social media.

Denver International Airport experienced significant disruptions, with 200 delays and 18 cancellations reported by midday Tuesday. Blizzard conditions along Interstate 70, from Denver to Kansas, temporarily forced the closure of the highway in the morning.

Blizzard warnings were issued for western parts of South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas, as well as eastern portions of Colorado and Wyoming. Meanwhile, ice storm warnings and winter weather advisories remained in effect for areas in South Dakota, North Dakota, and northwestern Minnesota.

The National Weather Service defines a blizzard as a combination of winds exceeding 35 miles per hour (56 kilometers per hour) and considerable blowing snow, resulting in visibility of less than 1/4 mile (0.4 kilometers) for three hours or more.

Tragically, on Christmas Day, a fatal accident occurred in Kansas due to snowy and icy road conditions. A pickup truck lost control and collided head-on with a sport utility vehicle, resulting in the death of 86-year-old Evelyn Reece of Wichita.

The storm also brought strong winds, with gusts reaching 67 miles per hour (108 kilometers per hour) in Oakes, North Dakota. The resulting ice storm caused havoc on highways across eastern North Dakota, leading to the closure of Interstate 29 until Tuesday afternoon.

Fargo experienced freezing rain, which gradually spread westward. Jamestown received up to three-quarters of an inch of freezing rain, leading to downed tree branches and power outages in the southern James River Valley.

The National Weather Service urged caution due to the fire risk posed by candles and space heaters during power outages. It also advised individuals using portable generators to keep them at least 20 feet (6 meters) away from doors, windows, and garages to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

While no major power outages were reported, Megan Jones, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, emphasized the importance of being cautious with heat sources during such weather conditions.

Contributors and Report for America

This article includes contributions from Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas, and Jack Dura in Bismarck, North Dakota. Trisha Ahmed, a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative, authored the article. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that deploys journalists to local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues.

Follow Trisha Ahmed on X, formerly Twitter, for more updates: @TrishaAhmed15