Massive winter storm blasts Midwest, South, Northeast with snow, dangerous ice
A massive winter storm is pushing east, blasting the Midwest, the South and Northeast with snow and ice.
More than 5,200 flights have been canceled -- the biggest flight cancellation day since March 14, 2017, another time when thousands of flights were canceled in anticipation of a winter storm.
The storm has already dumped over 1 foot of snow in parts of Illinois, Indiana and Michigan.
On Thursday afternoon, the snow was falling heavily from St. Louis to Indianapolis to Cleveland and into western New York.
Parts of Indiana and Ohio could see an additional 6 to 12 inches of snow by the end of the day.
In Texas, officials are urging residents to stay home as ice, sleet and snow accumulate on roads. The Dallas Fort Worth International Airport temporarily suspended operations. American Airlines has suspended flight operations for the rest of the night at the airport due to ice buildup in the ramp areas, and said it anticipates additional impacts through Friday morning.
Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky could see a thick layer of ice. Ice storm warnings are in effect through Friday morning from Arkansas to Ohio, including Memphis, Louisville and Lexington.
In Alabama, the concern was severe storms. One person was killed and three others were critically injured when their mobile home was blown over by a suspected tornado in Hale County, Emergency Management Agency Director Russell Weeden told ABC News. About seven or eight other people in the county had suffered minor injuries, he said.
Tennessee was hit hardest by power outages Thursday evening with nearly 150,000 customers in the dark. Tens of thousands of residents in Texas, Arkansas, Ohio and Kentucky have also lost power.
By Friday morning, the heavy snow will be hitting from Ohio to Maine. The interior Northeast and northern New England could see over 1 foot of snow through the day.
From New Jersey to Massachusetts, rain will transition to an icy mix. Washington, D.C., through Philadelphia will see mostly rain though icy roads are possible due to the cold air.
