Ice storms and blizzards slam the Midwest amid holiday travel

Residents of the midwest should stay off the roads if possible as ice storms and blizzards hit the region, meteorologists say

The Midwest is facing treacherous travel conditions in the aftermath of Christmas storms.

Much of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas are under various winter weather warnings as people begin to travel home after Christmas, according to the National Weather Service. From freezing rain to snow mixed with high winds, meteorologists are warning against travel as the holidays wind down.

North Dakota is seeing some of the worst conditions this Boxing Day, with nearly half the state facing an Ice Storm Warning. This storm will cause dangerous road conditions as well as damage power lines and trees, National Weather Service meteorologist Jacob Spender told The Independent.

Mr Spender said residents should try to conserve heat in case of a power outage and avoid travelling if possible. Over 8,000 customers are without power as of Tuesday morning, according to the tracker PowerOutage.us.

A harsh winter blizzard is also hitting Nebraska, with much of the state under a Blizzard Warning or Winter Weather Advisory. Darren Snively, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service for North Platte, Nebraska, said it’s difficult to estimate how much snow has fallen because of high winds hitting the state.

Mr Snively said current estimates as of Tuesday morning are between 4 inches and 8 inches, but that could change as the storm progresses.

“When you’re getting wind gusts, there’s many spots where you can have almost bare ground showing and then a little bit over you have a drift that is two feet high,” Mr Snively told the Independent.

Nebraska is also facing dangerous road conditions. The Nebraska State Patrol shared photos of two semi-trucks that were blocking Interstate 80 after they partially slipped off the road.

“The storm is causing issues on the roads on this Christmas morning...Great day to stay inside if travel isn’t necessary,” the agency wrote on X.

North Dakota residents should expect the ice storm to calm within 24 hours, Mr Spender said. Meanwhile those in Nebraska should see safer conditions by later this week, according to Mr Snively.