Flights canceled amid Midwest winter storm

1,600+ flights canceled as winter storm slams US

Updated: Feb 22, 2023 / 11:07 PM CST

Rush hour traffic travels southbound on Interstate 35W in Minneapolis as a winter storm hit the Twin Cities Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. A monster winter storm took aim at the Upper Midwest on Tuesday, threatening to bring blizzard conditions, bitterly cold temperatures and 2 feet of snow in a three-day onslaught that could affect more than 40 million Americans. (Jeff Wheeler/Star Tribune via AP)

MINNEAPOLIS (NewsNation) — A winter storm that could dump up to 2 feet of snow in some areas of the upper Midwest has led to thousands of flight cancellations across the U.S.

More than 1,600 canceled flights were reported across the country by midmorning, according to tracking service FlightAware. More than 400 of those were due to arrive or depart from the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Another 5,000-plus flights were delayed across the country.

According to FlightAware, Delta and Southwest Airlines were the most heavily affected.

According to NewsNation affiliate The Hill, the airport that saw the highest number of cancellations was the Minneapolis−St. Paul International Airport, where 193 outgoing and 218 incoming flights were canceled, accounting for 44% and 52% of those scheduled, respectively. The Denver International Airport and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport also each saw more than 200 outgoing or incoming flights canceled Wednesday.

The snowfall could be historic, even in a region accustomed to heavy snow. As much as 25 inches may pile up, with the heaviest amounts falling across east-central Minnesota and west-central Wisconsin, the National Weather Service said. Wind gusts could reach 50 mph and wind chills are expected to hit minus 50 degrees in some parts of the Dakotas and Minnesota.

Temperatures could plunge to minus 15 to minus 20 degrees Thursday and to minus 25 degrees Friday in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Wind chills may fall to minus 50 degrees, said Nathan Rick, a meteorologist in Grand Forks.

Wind gusts of 35 mph will be common in western and central Minnesota, with some reaching 50 mph. That will result in “significant blowing and drifting snow with whiteout conditions in open areas,” the Weather Service said.

According to the Weather Service, the biggest snow event on record in the Twin Cities was 28.4 inches from Oct. 31 through Nov. 3, 1991 — known as the Halloween Blizzard. The second-largest was 21.1 inches of snow from Nov. 29 through Dec. 1, 1985. The Twin Cities got 20 inches of snow from Jan. 22 to Jan. 23, 1982.

This is a developing story. Refresh for updates.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.