Messy winter weather — including snow, ice and strong winds — is putting more stress on already busy post-holiday travel plans.
A bomb-cyclone dumped snow on the Midwest and Northeast over the weekend, and as of Monday, 14 million people are under winter weather alerts across the upper Midwest, Northeast and New England. Blizzard warnings are still in effect for the upper peninsula of Michigan.
Lake effect snow is of concern for upstate New York, specifically in Buffalo. Heavy snow of 12 to 24 inches, with isolated amounts up to 36 inches, is forecast for areas downwind of Lakes Erie and Ontario. Behind the storm, lake effect snow will continue the next few days.
Snow squalls in the Detroit area caused a number of car crashes on I-75, prompting the Michigan State Police to close the northbound highway and causing major backups for travelers. No injuries from the crashes have been reported, said Michael A. Shaw, spokesperson for the state police. It is currently unclear how many crashes occurred and how many cars were involved.
And in the Northeast, icy roads are a major concern after a snowstorm Friday night into Saturday and freezing rain falling on the area Monday. A half inch of ice is expected to accumulate from Pennsylvania up to Maine, causing power outages and tree damage.
Also on Monday, 100 million people are under wind alerts across the country, mostly in the Northeast, but also covering the Midwest, Great Lakes and even parts of the southern Plains. A pocket of rain will traverse the region and move east, ushering in strong winds Monday afternoon and evening.
Wind gusts could be as high as 50 to 60 mph, and locally up to 70 mph, across the Ohio Valley, Appalachians and east of the Great Lakes.
Tornadoes are possible amid the heavy winds, with multiple twisters already reported in Illinois, wreaking havoc and causing damage to homes. At least one tornado in the state was confirmed.
Airports are already facing major backups during the busiest time of year to travel. On Sunday, more than 10,000 flights were delayed nationwide.
As of Monday afternoon, more than 4,700 flights had been delayed within the U.S. and more than 690 had been cancelled, according to flight tracking website FlightAware.
Airports in the Detroit, Cleveland and Buffalo areas are most likely to be affected by snow on Monday, and travelers at airports in Philadelphia, New York and Boston could face travel snafus thanks to Monday’s rain.
For those traveling by car, AAA suggests hitting the road before 10 a.m., as the afternoon and evening tend to be the most congested.
Shaquille Brewster contributed.
