Midweek Winter Storm Brings Snow, High Winds, and Torrential Rain, Causing Over 18,000 Flight Cancellations and Delays

A Vermont country road after heavy snow

A midweek winter storm that brought snow, high winds, and torrential rain on Wednesday resulted in hazardous travel conditions and left tens of thousands of travelers unable to get to their destinations.

The storm wrought havoc across the United States over the past several days, bringing tornado watches to Florida after damaging storms ripped through parts of Texas.  Accumulating snow led to dangerous driving conditions and school closures as well, but things appear to be clearing up as of midday Thursday.

“A winter storm in the Northeast U.S. will depart today with heavy snow in the region and over a portion of the central Appalachians tapering off through this afternoon and evening,” the National Weather Service said in a statement on Thursday. “Lake effect snow downwind of the lower Great Lakes and a potential for blinding snow squalls over the Ohio Valley will linger through tonight.”

Over the past four days, over 16,000 flights within, into, and out of the United States were delayed and 1,700 were cancelled, impacting some 3.5 million travelers.

On Thursday, as of 1:30 p.m. EST, there had been 2,306 flight delays and 169 cancellations.

Despite the gloomy prognostication, there is good news for skiers, snowboarders, and snowmobilers: Northern New England has added as much as 24” (61 cm) of snow over the past seven days.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)

* This article was originally published here