Dec 1, 2008 6:05 am US/Central
Season's First Major Snowstorm Hits Upper Midwest
Up To 8 Inches Forecast In Parts Of Wisconsin, Up To 10 Inches In Michigan
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Snow falls along Division Street on the Near North Side of Chicago on Dec. 1, 2008.
CBS
Much of the Upper Midwest is being clobbered with the region's first major snowfall of the season, leaving up to 10 inches of snow in some places as people return to work from the long Thanksgiving weekend.
In the Chicago area, a winter weather advisory is in effect until noon Central Standard Time. The advisory also affects most of Northern Illinois and Northwest Indiana, as well as downstate to the Paris, Ill., area and north to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
CBS 2's Ed Curran reports that snow has been slowing down in the early morning, but blowing snow will likely be a problem for much of the day farther inland. Snow is expected to accumulate about 1 to 3 inches in total, and temperatures are expected to top off around 32 degrees.
Higher snow accumulations have already been seen farther inland. Five inches are on the ground in Streator, 4.2 inches in DeKalb, 4.8 inches in Downers Grove, and 4 inches in Westmont.
In some areas, snow totals may top out at 7 inches.
The snow is being blamed for serious crashes in several areas. In addition, more than 50 flights at O'Hare International Airport were canceled Sunday because of low visibility, as well as weather conditions on the East Coast. Some flights were delayed for up to 90 minutes.
Hundreds of cots were set up for stranded travelers. One woman told CBS 2 she missed her connecting flight because of delays at O'Hare, and the airline said they may not be able to get her on another plane until Tuesday.
"We get here and they tell us, 'Sorry, you're not flying out until Tuesday morning. We can't pay for your hotel room because it was weather, and good luck,'" said Alesha Horst.
The University of Missouri women's basketball team was also caught in the mix.
"They said it's going to push us back a whole two hours," said team member Alyssa Hollins. "We've got to get back to school for class in the morning.
"I actually have a test tomorrow at 11 o'clock in the morning. So I'm trying to study and stay awake at the same time," said Amanda Hennehan.
The National Weather Service says the snowstorm could be followed by high winds in Northern Illinois.
Meteorologist Casey Sullivan of the NWS office in Romeoville said early Monday that winds might gust up to 35 mph. at times before dying down by early afternoon.
But Chicago had it easy compared with many parts of Wisconsin and Michigan.
WDJT-TV in Milwaukee reported that 3 to 8 inches of snow were forecast overnight for the Milwaukee Area. The storm hit on Sunday, a day on which roads were packed with people returning to Milwaukee from the Packers game in Green Bay, as well as the final day of deer gun season. At General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, serious delays were reported.
Farther west, a snow emergency has been declared in Stoughton, Wis., requiring drivers to follow emergency parking rules. Authorities advise drivers to leave early Monday morning and allow time to get to work, reports WISC-TV in Madison.
In Michigan, the National Weather Service forecast up to 10 inches on Sunday. Meteorologist Heather Orow of the weather service's office in Oakland County's White Lake Township says an area from Flint northward could between 6 and 10 inches. Southwestern Michigan's Berrien County could see similar totals.
WWJ-TV in Detroit advised motorists to prepare for a messy commute before snow starts tapering off in the afternoon.
CBS 2's Mike Parker and Joanie Lum, and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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