As many as 10,000 flights have been cancelled nationwide in the United States. A website entitled "Flight Awareness," specializing in air traffic said a large number of Airports had been closed down. Snow had begun falling on Chicago Tuesday evening as a massive storm that some meteorologists said could be the biggest of the year worked its way across much of the United States. More than half a meter of snow was expected to fall in some areas and wind gust of up to 80 kilometres an hour would cut visibility to near zero, the National Weather Service was quoted as saying by the German Press Agency "DPA." Up to 10 centimeters of snow an hour could fall in Chicago, where schools and businesses had already announced closures for Wednesday. The storm was to stretch across nearly a third of the US from Texas into New England before all was said and done, with winter storm warnings in nearly 30 states. In the southern state of Arkansas some 73 cm of snow had already fallen, the National Weather Service said. In Dallas, ice was keeping fans from reaching the Texas city. Authorities had called on residents to stay home, noting conditions could be "life threatening."
