Massive storm disrupts last-minute holiday travel

A slow-moving storm spreading snow, sleet and rain across the nation’s midsection glazed roads and disrupted flights Thursday, making last-minute holiday travel treacherous but promising a white Christmas for some.

The National Weather Service issued blizzard warnings for parts of Oklahoma, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Texas. It cautioned that travel would be extremely dangerous in those areas through the weekend and that drivers should pack a winter survival kit including flashlight and water in case of emergency.

Slippery roads were blamed for at least 12 deaths since Tuesday and officials cautioned they would only get worse, particularly after dark.

Winter storm warnings were in effect across the the Plains and the Midwest, with a foot or two of snow possible in some areas by Christmas Day. By Thursday afternoon, parts of southeastern Minnesota had already gotten 8 inches.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol closed eastbound Interstate 40 in El Reno because of numerous accidents, but crews were working 12-hour shifts to keep other major highways cleared. Texas Gov. Rick Perry activated military personnel and emergency vehicles to assist motorists. And in North Dakota, Gov. John Hoeven said placed additional state troopers and the National Guard on standby.

Scott Blair, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Topeka, Kan., said the wind was becoming a serious issue, with wind speeds of up to 25 mph and gusts reaching 40 mph.

“The wind is killer, especially when you’re empty,” trucker Jim Reed said during a stop in Omaha, Neb., as he headed to Lincoln to pick up a load of beef before starting his long holiday weekend.

“Anything that’s boxed, like a refrigerator trailer like I have … becomes like a giant sail in the wind,” he said.

In eastern Kansas, Tony Glaum was traveling with his wife and daughter to his parents’ home north of Manhattan. He said they were thinking about staying overnight, rather than making their usual Christmas Eve trip back home.

Glaum, 43, of Leavenworth, said he and his daughter noticed a biting chill in the air.

“You can certainly feel the air. It feels like it’s stirred up in a weird way,” he said. “It just feels wrong.”

Still, he said, he’s looking forward to a white Christmas: “I think snow would be pretty nice.”

Nearly 100 scheduled flights from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport were canceled Thursday and dozens more were delayed. The Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City shut down one of its three runways and canceled nearly 30 flights. Delays topping two hours were reported at Houston’s Hobby Airport.

Many travelers took the disruptions in stride.

David Teater, 58, and Aaron Mayfield, 29, both of Minneapolis, were flying to Los Angeles on their way to Australia for a diving vacation. They had given themselves an extra day for travel, expecting they would be delayed somewhere along the way, and arrived at the Minneapolis airport with reading material and extra snacks.