Winter storm threatens foot of snow in Midwest

BISMARCK, N.D. — A large storm brought freezing rain, heavy snow and strong winds to a large swath of the Midwest on Monday, snarling traffic and forcing the closure of some schools and government offices.

The system by midweek also was expected to cause more problems for the Northeast, which is dealing with the aftermath of a destructive and deadly nor’easter.

Parts of the Dakotas were expected to get more than a foot of snow by the time the system moved east on Tuesday, with Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa also getting significant amounts, according to the National Weather Service.

Snowfall reports from the agency as of mid-afternoon Monday totaled as much as 6 inches in South Dakota and 9 inches in North Dakota and Minnesota.

State transportation officials advised against travel in parts of the upper Midwest, and a 140-mile stretch of Interstate 90 in southeastern South Dakota was shut down.

The Highway Patrol in Minnesota reported dozens of crashes, several with injuries. Crash reports were much lighter in the Dakotas, though there were numerous reports of vehicles sliding off icy highways.

“We’ve been really telling people not to drive, not to travel,” South Dakota Department of Public Safety spokesman Tony Mangan said.

There were nearly 100 flight cancellations and more than 150 delays at the Minneapolis airport as of mid-afternoon, according to Metropolitan Airports Commission spokesman Patrick Hogan.