A 45-car pileup in Indiana and a Delta jet skidding off the runway in Iowa are among the travel disasters stemming from a powerful winter storm taking aim at the heart of the country on one of the biggest travel days of the year.
Around 25 million people remained under winter weather alerts Sunday morning as a Thanksgiving weekend storm brought more than a foot of snow and strong winds to parts of the Midwest, with thunderstorms hitting the South. By 11 a.m., snowfall totals had reached 15 inches in Fort Dodge, Iowa, 13 inches in Lancaster, Wisconsin, and a foot of snow in Pana, Illinois.
The National Weather Service warned that a quick burst of snowfall will impact the Chicago area Sunday morning, reducing visibility on the roads and making travel dangerous.
The Indiana State Police said no serious injuries were reported following Saturday's 45-car pileup of commercial and passenger vehicles on Interstate 78. Vigo County, where the crash occurred, was under a winter weather advisory until Sunday morning.
Sgt. Matt Ames urged residents to stay home if possible and use caution if they must travel.
"People just need to drive smart when the snow starts falling, reduce your speed, make sure you're buckled up, and let's just all be safe out there," Ames said, adding that a shutdown of the interstate to allow for cleanup will last around six hours.
In Iowa, Delta Air Lines Flight 5087 slid off the end of a runway while turning onto a taxiway due to icy conditions at Des Moines International Airport on Saturday night, according to the airline and the Federal Aviation Administration. The passengers were deplaned and taken to a terminal. The FAA is investigating the incident.
"Safety comes before all else and we apologize to our customers for the experience," Delta said in a statement, adding that no injuries were reported.
Rain and snow are expected to shift into the eastern third of the country Sunday morning before moving offshore in the evening, with snow showers favoring the interior Northeast, northern New England and the Appalachian Mountains. Various winter alerts are in effect for these areas due to 2 to 8 inches of snowfall.
Snow showers in the interior Northeast will persist before gradually fading overnight.
Parts of the East Coast are still expected to see a cold rain from midmorning through the early evening hours. Numerous cities may see travel impacts, including Cleveland; Buffalo, New York; Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Atlanta. A 41-minute ground delay at Boston Logan International Airport is expected to persist until Monday, according to the FAA.
As of Sunday afternoon, over 5,400 flights traveling into, within and from the U.S. have been delayed, while 620 have been canceled, according toFlightAware.com. Chicago O'Hare International Airport accounts for a large share of the travel issues, reporting over 255 cancellations and 916 delays. At John F. Kennedy International Airport, 76 flights have been canceled and 203 have been delayed.
At O'Hare, crowds continued to build as travelers attempted to play catch-up after more than 1,000 cancellations on Saturday. The road leading into the airport was jammed with cars and the TSA PreCheck line stretched through the terminal. A 49-minute, weather-related ground delay at the airport is expected to last until 7:59 p.m. Sunday.
Video from the airport's tarmac shared on social media showed the runways covered in snow on Saturday.
Sisters Rima and Jasmin Eid had their flight from Chicago to Miami delayed three times on Saturday. The sisters were trying to surprise their mother with a cruise they booked for her birthday.
"We're trying to get everything planned out, but unfortunately, we're very delayed, and they will not help us because we're basic economy," Rima said. "They said we will not accommodate any changes."
The sisters said they were stuck at the airport, hoping their flight will go ahead as planned.
"It's very frustrating and very upsetting," Jasmin said.
