1 of 11 | A man shovels snow away from a stuck vehicle as a winter storm hits in Altoona, Iowa, on Friday. The Midwest is expected to get 6 to 12 inches of snow through Saturday. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 12 (UPI) — Severe winter conditions are hampering travel across the Midwest ahead of Monday’s Iowa Caucus.
Snow is forecast to become heavier overnight Friday into Saturday morning, with as much as an inch of snow falling per hour.
Earlier Friday, the FAA instituted a Traffic Management Program for inbound and outbound flights. As a result, some arrivals were delayed by an average of one hour and 46 minutes, with delays of a half hour or more reported for departing flights.
Friday afternoon, there were 2,781 flights canceled nationwide. Chicago was the hardest hit, with 414 flights canceled and another 238 delayed out of O’Hare. At Midway, there were 142 cancellations with 28 flights delayed, according to FlightAware.
The winter storm moved into the Chicago area Friday morning, according to ABC 7 in Chicago. The wintry mix is expected to continue throughout the region into Saturday.
Earlier Friday, officials issued a Winter Storm Warning in effect until noon Saturday for multiple counties.
Forecasters said strong winds also could blow snow to create blizzard-like conditions and slick roads.
The falling snow is expected to ease Saturday morning, but windy conditions still could lead to poor travel conditions.
A plea from Chicago
In light of the intense conditions, Chicago delayed enforcement of a 60-day shelter stay limit for migrants who are close to reaching the deadline.
Chicago Department of Family and Support Services Commissioner Brandie Knazze said the city will suspend the deadline until Jan. 22 or later if weather conditions do not improve.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker also sent a letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott pleading with him to stop sending buses full of migrants to Chicago as the city is battered by the storm and its migrant shelters already are overfilled.
“The next few days are a threat to the families and children you are sending here. I am pleading with you to at least pause these transports in order to save lives,” Pritzker told Abbott.
Abbott’s office on Friday responded to the letter, saying the migrants signed a voluntary consent waiver to travel to Chicago, and the bus drivers are taking necessary safety precautions.
A spokesperson for Abbott added Texas will continue to send migrants north until President Joe Biden secures the U.S.-Mexico border.
Iowa Caucus concerns
The Midwest is expected to get six to 12 inches of snow through Saturday. The National Weather Service in Des Moines, Iowa, cautioned drivers to stay off the roads, even as they prepare for the Iowa Republican Caucus on Monday.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday said he’s still going “full speed ahead” with his campaign but urged his supporters to be safe over the weekend. The DeSantis-backed super PAC Never Back Down canceled events in Clear Lake and Marshalltown Friday morning before also cancelling events in Pella and Coralville.
Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley canceled her in-person event in Fort Dodge and instead addressed voters in a tele-town hall Friday.
While Haley admitted she was concerned about voter turnout due to the weather, she said she “has faith” that supporters will turn out Monday.
“What we hope is that they will wear layers, that they will bring their photo ID, and that they will come out and caucus,” she said.
Southeast, Northeast prepare
Officials said the storm might have claimed its first victim Friday night. NBC News reported a 69-year-old man was found dead after clearing his driveway near Milwaukee. The Milwaukee Medical Examiner’s office said it will investigate the incident as a “weather-related death.”
The storm isn’t just a Midwest threat. Severe thunder storms and high-speed winds are forecast to heavily affect the Southeast, too. And heavy rain is expected to eventually threaten a Northeast that already is experiencing widespread flooding.
On Friday evening, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a state of emergency for western New York. Erie, Genesee, Wyoming, Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties are under a winter storm watch until Monday morning. The west side of the state also is under a high wind warning until Saturday night.
On the heels of this storm is a brutal arctic blast that could drop temperatures to 30 degrees below zero as far south as Texas. Iowa Caucus voters on Monday can expect to be hit by a wind chill as low as minus 50.
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