Major winter storm stirs dangerous travel conditions in US

A major winter blast of snow, ice, wind and plunging temperatures in the US stirred dangerous travel conditions from central and southern states all the way to the East Coast early yesterday, prompting schools and government offi ces in several states to close.

Snow and ice blanketed major roads across Kansas, western Nebraska and parts of Indiana, where the state’s National Guard was activated to help stranded motorists. At least eight inches of snow was expected, along with gusting winds up to 72 kilometers per hour.

The National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings from Kansas and Missouri all the way to New Jersey.

“For locations in this region that receive the highest snow totals, it may be the heaviest snowfall in at least a decade,” the weather service said.