Winter Storm Spawns Traffic Deaths, Delayed Flights, Power Outages Across Much of US

A sprawling winter storm born of a polar vortex stretching from the Great Plains to the East Coast has left at least six people dead. The storm has stranded hundreds of drivers. It's forced thousands of flight delays and cancellations. And it has caused power outages for more than 300,000 customers in the region.  

Snowfall produced by the storm broke records in a number of Midwest cities, including Chapman, Kansas. Chapman was buried in 18 inches of snow, the most ever in 120 years. The heavy snow led to the stranding of 600 drivers in Missouri and hundreds of accidents over the weekend. 

In Mound City, Missouri, a driver was killed after being hit by a truck that slid into him. Another was killed in Kansas City in a crash with a dump truck. Two others died in Wichita, Kansas, when their car spun off the road. And a fifth died in Ford County, Kansas, when his car struck a swerving tractor-trailer.

The storm was also blamed for the death of an Illinois boy who was killed in a snow tube accident involving an ATV.

“We see far too many wrecks out there for people that do not have to be on the roads,” said Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.

More than 1,700 US flights were canceled and more than 3,500 delayed by the storm. Chicago's O'Hare International Airport was the most affected by delays and cancellations, as of midday Monday. It is also the region's largest airport. 

The travel headaches may continue today. The storm was forecast to send temperatures plunging. That could lead to icy conditions across much of the region. 

Reflect: What do you think people should consider before traveling during a major winter storm?

Photo of a vehicle traveling through Topeka, Kansas in a blizzard from Reuters.