December 20, 2012

The first major snowstorm of the season in the Midwestern United States has already left at least three people dead in two states. In Utah, a woman who had attempted to walk to safety after her vehicle became stuck in the snow was found dead. Two people were killed in a snow-related car crash in Wisconsin.

Blizzard warnings were issued for 16 states. Subzero temperatures and blizzard conditions were dropping as much as 1 foot (30 centimeters) of snow from Kansas to Wisconsin, with the Rocky Mountains already blanketed. In southwestern parts of Iowa, winds as high as 53 miles (85 kilometers) per hour were being recorded, and nearly 1 foot (30 centimeters) of snow had already fallen in Des Moines, the Iowa state capital. By Thursday morning, hundreds of flights had been canceled at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, creating problems for holiday travelers.

A blizzard is a blinding snowstorm with strong, cold winds. (© Colin McPherson, Corbis)

The National Weather Service is warning those in the path of the storm to stay off roads because of poor visibility. Tornado warnings remain in effect for parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, where high winds on the southern edge of the storm are peeling the roofs off buildings, toppling trucks, and downing power lines.

Additional World Book articles:

• Weather 
• The Forecast: Better Weather Prediction Ahead (a special report)
• Weather Terms— Cloudy or Clear? (a special report)