A powerful snowstorm bringing blizzard-like conditions left flights canceled, closed at least one regional airport, disrupted drivers and knocked out power to thousands on Sunday in the Upper Midwest after bringing more than a foot of snow to some areas.
The storm dropped seven to 10 inches of snow in the Twin Cities metro area of Minnesota. In the 200-mile stretch from Rochester, Minn., to Wausau, Wis., 12 to 17 inches of snow had already fallen, the National Weather Service Twin Cities office said on Sunday.
The storm prompted the Minnesota Department of Transportation to issue a no- travel advisory on Sunday for several areas. The department shared photos of near- whiteout conditions on various roadways.
“Heavy snow and strong winds are causing challenging travel conditions,” the department said.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation warned drivers of impassable roads in the state’s northern counties.
Another round of heavy snow is expected on Sunday afternoon and evening, prompting blizzard and winter storm warnings from South Dakota to Michigan into Monday, the National Weather Service said.
“Dangerous travel conditions are expected during this period, particularly north of Interstate 90 where snowfall totals of 12 to 24 inches will see significant drifting with the increasing winds,” according to the Weather Service in La Crosse, Wis.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan activated the State Emergency Operations Center on Sunday morning because of the “threat of significant weather impacts” in the next 24 to 36 hours statewide, she said on social media.
Officials closed the Mackinac Bridge, a long suspension bridge in northern Michigan, on Sunday morning because of the weather.
The heaviest snowfall in the Upper Midwest typically arrives at this time of year. Major accumulations were expected on Sunday into Monday for Minneapolis and St. Paul in Minnesota, as well as for Green Bay, Wis., forecasters said.
The severe weather on Sunday also disrupted air travel.
More than 2,400 flights in the United States had been canceled as of Sunday afternoon, according to FlightAware, a flight tracking service. The majority of the affected flights were at Chicago O’Hare International and Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airports.
The Sioux Falls Regional Airport in South Dakota announced it was closed on Sunday because of ice and snow.
Nearly 55,000 customers were without power on Sunday in Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin, according to poweroutage.com. More than 130,000 customers in Ohio and Pennsylvania lost power because of high winds.
Johnny Diaz is a reporter for The Times covering breaking news from Miami.
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