Cold
& snow to stay in Chicago
Also:
Thousands of students spent another day out of the classroom, as the second punch of a powerful winter storm moved across the Midwest. Meantime, thousands of air travelers waited to get to their destinations, following a second day of weather-related delays and cancellations. Otherwise, most people in Chicago are trying to get back to business as usual. The city was one of the hardest-hit by the potent storm, getting as much as 14 inches of snow in some parts of the city. But there was no ignoring the blast of Arctic air that rushed in behind Monday's snow storm. The frigid influx sent wind chills skidding below zero. "I wish I were thousands of miles away somewhere where it's warm and sunny instead of shoveling snow," John Beznik, a doorman for a downtown Chicago condominium building. City schools are closed Tuesday, because of the severe cold, rather than the snow. Officials reversed an earlier decision to open schools, after hearing the forecast for sub-zero wind chills. About 90 percent of Chicago public school students walk to school, rather than rely on bus service. For a second day, airlines cancelled many flights at O’Hare International and Chicago Midway airports. Officials said it may be Wednesday before schedules return to normal. The cancelations have had a ripple effect at airports across the country. Most
roads and streets in the Chicago area have been cleared, but some remain
snowpacked and icy. Authorities urged people to use caution.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. Snow emergency
in Michigan
A state of emergency is in effect in three Detroit-area counties, following the snow storm that left more than a foot of snow in the region on Monday. Officials asked residents of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties to stay home until further notice. The emergency declaration was enough for the editor of the Flint Journal to cancel Tuesday's edition. Roger Samuel says he halted publication because non-emergency vehicles were barred from the roads, according to the declaration. “I think we have a responsibility to heed the state of emergency,” said Samuel. “The first priority is to get the streets clear.” Of the paper’s 120 employees, only about 15 to 20 people made it to the office. That included the photographer, who reportedly skied and hitchhiked his way to work. Besides the several inches of snow that fell Monday and Tuesday, drifts prevented many newspaper employees from reaching the office. To the west, the city of Grand Rapids set a new record for a one-day snowfall in the month of December. Monday's storm left 14.2 inches of snow in the city. Also
in the area, town of Caro received 16 inches of snow, while residents of
Mundy had 14 inches piled up in their driveways.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. Little reprieve
from snow for Indiana
As residents of northern Indiana dig out of 14 inches of snow from Monday's storm, people who live to the south eye another incoming system that could also leave them blanketed by Wednesday night. Fresh lake-effect snow and winds on Tuesday slowed recovery from Monday’s snowfall. High gusts of up to 40 mph caused troubles throughout the state. Schools and businesses remained closed in Elkhart, Noble, Starke and St. Joseph counties, where snow emergencies were in effect. Authorities asked drivers to avoid non-essential travel, while 15,000 Cinergy customers trying to stay warm indoors found themselves temporarily without power Tuesday morning. “There is not a whole lot of movement out here now,” aid South Bend Police Captain John Williams. South Bend received 11.5 inches of snow, while 14 inches piled up in Elkhart, and nine in Crown Point. The South Bend area was expected to pick up two to four inches of lake-effect snow Tuesday, complicating recovery efforts. “It hasn’t ever really let up,” said Paul Johnson, a St. Joseph County sheriff’s deputy. While northern Indiana’s major highways were open Tuesday, state transportation officials were concerned about icy ramps and bridges along the Indiana Toll Road and Interstate 94. Authorities closed some I-94 ramps while wreckers removed 18-wheelers that had become stuck in the ice. Monday’s storm is blamed for two deaths in the state. A man died while riding in a car that slid off of U.S. Highway 6 in Noble County, and struck a utility pole. Also, a 71-year-old man apparently suffered a fatal heart-attack while shoveling snow at his home near Elkhart. Portions of Indiana that escaped heavy accumulation during Monday’s storm and Tuesday’s round of lake-effect snow may not fare as well Wednesday. Meteorologists say another wide-ranging wintry system is expected to bring 5 inches of snow to portions of central and southern Indiana. The Associated Press contributed to this report. |
