A powerful storm making its way east from California across the U.S. is causing travel chaos for millions of people returning home after Thanksgiving, with forecasters warning of intensifying snow and freezing temperatures in the Midwest.
The storm caused the death of at least one person in South Dakota, and a five-year-old boy died in Arizona after a vehicle was swept away while it attempted to cross a runoff-swollen creek amid dangerous, wintry weather.
The National Weather Service said the storm is expected to drop 6 to 12 inches of snow from the northern Plains states into Minnesota, Wisconsin and Upper Michigan.
High winds and ice are expected to make travel almost impossible in some places.
Forecasters warn that people traveling throughout the weekend should be aware of the storm’s effects, with officials in states including Arizona urging travelers to wait out the weather before attempting to travel.
A powerful storm making its way east from California across the U.S. is causing travel chaos for millions of people returning home after Thanksgiving. Parked cars are seen covered in snow on Saturday in Denver, Colorado
A worker piles snow in a parking lot in west Denver, Colorado on Saturday. Some areas near Denver received over two feet of snow over the Thanksgiving holiday
A driver tries to dig his car out of heavy snow in foothills west of Denver, Colorado Saturday
Heavy snow is forecast for the north-central to northeastern U.S., along with freezing rain and high winds which is expected to hit on Sunday
A large swath of snow totals from 6 to 12 inches are expected from the Northern Plains into Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Upper Michigan, and snow above 18 inches could be possible in areas of higher altitude
A 5-year-old boy’s body was found Saturday, but two young children remained missing after a truck they were in was swept away while attempting to cross a runoff-swollen creek in the Tonto National Forest in Arizona.
Gila County sheriff’s Lt. Virgil Dodd said the boy’s body was found about 3 miles downstream and that the search continued for the other two missing children.
The Gila County Sheriff’s Office said emergency personnel and law enforcement helicopters on Friday rescued two adults and two children who also were in the military-style truck swept downstream in Tonto Creek near the small community of Tonto Basin.
Sheriff’s officials previously said a total of six people, including four children, were rescued Friday at locations along the creek.
Adverse conditions included heavy brush and slippery mud along the creek and frigid water from snowmelt, but officials said they remained hopeful.
‘That’s why we’re trying to do our very best out there today in hopes that we can get the children to safety,” said sheriff’s Lt. Virgil Dodd. ‘It’s really important that we find these kids and get them to safety.’
‘We have no information as to why they were trying to cross the creek,’ Dodd added. ‘We think everybody was in the cab at the time.
‘Searchers found the truck about 1,000 yards downstream from the crossing Friday night. There was nobody in the truck.’
Meanwhile the winter storm is expected to hit northeastern states on Sunday, bringing freezing rain and snow.
Forecasters warn that people traveling throughout the weekend should be aware of the storm’s effects, with officials in states including Arizona urging travelers to wait out the weather before attempting to travel
Snowfall amounts in the Northeast are currently forecast to be 4 to 8 inches from parts of New York, southern Vermont and New Hampshire, and Massachusetts through Sunday night
High wind warnings and wind advisories are in effect for the Central and Southern Plains
Adding to the weather woes is a powerful Nor’easter storm that is developing off the East Coast which could combine with the cold air blowing in from the West and cause the first heavy snow of the year.
The National Weather Service said in its latest forecast: ‘Freezing rain will be the initial threat for portions of Pennsylvania and New York, as well as the Central Appalachians, with ice accumulations over a tenth of an inch possible in some areas.
‘Snowfall amounts in the Northeast are currently forecast to be 4 to 8 inches from parts of New York, southern Vermont and New Hampshire, and Massachusetts through Sunday night, with more expected on Monday.’
A nor’easter gets its name for the direction of strong winds and Arctic air which blows in from the Atlantic Ocean.
The weather service issued storm warnings Friday for several states from Montana to Nebraska to Wisconsin, as heavy snowfall is expected in parts of Utah, Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming.
The weather could cause problems for millions of passengers heading home after the Thanksgiving break on Sunday
Officials warned of dangerous driving conditions in Arizona due to below average temperatures
Adding to the weather woes is a powerful Nor’easter storm that is developing off the East Coast
Winter Storm Warnings are in place in Utah and Colorado, and extending eastward across the northern Rocky Mountains, northern Plains and Upper Midwest states
It added: ‘High winds are expected, and Blizzard Warnings are in effect for parts of the Northern and Central Plains.
‘Dangerous conditions will make travel almost impossible. High Wind Warnings and Wind Advisories are in effect for the Central and Southern Plains.’
Heavy snow continues to batter parts of of the Northern and Central Rockies, as blizzard warnings are in effect for eastern Wyoming into western South Dakota and northern Nebraska.
Winter Storm Warnings are in place in Utah and Colorado, and extending eastward across the northern Rocky Mountains, northern Plains and Upper Midwest states.
Winter Weather Advisories are in effect across the lower elevations of the central and northern Rockies, southeastern South Dakota to central Michigan, and portions of Pennsylvania and New York.
Winter Storm Watches are in effect for parts of Michigan and the Northeast into the northern Mid-Atlantic region.
In the South, heavy rain and thunderstorms are forecast in parts of the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys.
A 5-year-old boy’s body was found Saturday, but two young children remained missing after a truck they were in was swept away while attempting to cross a runoff-swollen creek in the Tonto National Forest in Arizona
The Gila County Sheriff’s Office said emergency personnel and law enforcement helicopters on Friday rescued two adults and two children who also were in the military-style truck swept downstream in Tonto Creek near the small community of Tonto Basin.=
Precipitation could start as light freezing rain in the Upper Mississippi Valley and Upper Great Lakes before transitioning to snow
The weather could cause problems for millions of passengers taking to roads and airports as they travel home after the Thanksgiving break on Sunday
Airlines for America, the airline industry’s trade group, expects 31.6 million passengers during what could be the busiest day ever recorded for American air travel
The weather could cause problems for millions of passengers heading home after the Thanksgiving break on Sunday.
Airlines for America, the airline industry’s trade group, expects 31.6 million passengers during what could be the busiest day ever recorded for American air travel.
Hospitals in South Dakota prepared to care for patients if the storm causes power outages.
The South Dakota Highway Patrol reported one fatal accident on an icy road and posted photos on social media of cars that had careened off roads. Travelers are being asked to stay off the roads.
A 37-year-old passenger died after his truck slid into a ditch at the side of an ice-covered road and rolled.
Several feet of snow is expected to fall in Colorado’s mountains through Saturday afternoon, with the heaviest accumulations expected in the San Juan range, as a powerful Pacific storm moves eastward.
The National Weather Service says travel could be difficult across a large portion of western Colorado through then because of snow combined with strong winds limiting visibility.
The eastern half of the state will miss the brunt of the storm but strong winds are expected to develop in its wake there and kick up snow that fell earlier in the week.
The weather service says gusts of up to 90 mph are possible in the mountains and foothills and gusts up to 65 mph on the plains through Saturday which could create very poor visibility.
Parts of central Montana are expected to receive 6 inches of snow or more, while areas along the Rocky Mountain Front that were socked in by the storm earlier this week will see lesser accumulations this time.
Delta Airlines said weather Upper Midwestern U.S. may impact travel to and from a large number of airports.
Delta Air Lines is also waiving rescheduling fees for flights at over 30 airports expected to bear the brunt of the first major storm this winter.
American Airlines said customers who booked tickets in Wisconsin, Michigan, South Dakota and North Dakota could change their travel with no fee if their flights were affected at 29 airports.