An early winter storm hit several Midwestern U.S. states, shutting busy airports and highways. Icy temperatures, and brutal snow and winds punished the upper Midwest, ruining travel across about half the United States as the storm moved eastward. Highways around the region were coated with a layer of ice and snow, while winds caused occasional white outs in some areas. The Chicago Department of Aviation said that 1,400 flights were canceled and more were likely to be affected. Airlines at the city's O'Hare International Airport reported delays of 45 minutes or more for arriving and departing flights. At Chicago's Midway Airport meanwhile, delays were about half an hour, and some 300 flights were canceled. Forecasters said the blizzard conditions were on their way to Chicago and northern Illinois, Iowa, and large tracts of Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota.
