DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - The first widespread snowstorm of the season is crawling across the Midwest.
The storm has dumped a foot of snow in parts of Iowa and more than 19 inches in Wisconsin's state capital.
Whiteout conditions are stranding holiday travelers and sending drivers sliding over slick roads.
Iowa state police say drivers on Interstate 35 got into a 25-vehicle chain collision about 60 miles north of Des Moines today. Two people were killed and seven injured.
The storm has made travel difficult from Kansas to Wisconsin, forcing road closures, including a 120-mile stretch of Interstate 35. Sections of Interstate 80 in Nebraska and Interstate 29 in Missouri that had been closed were reopened Thursday afternoon. Iowa and Wisconsin have activated National Guard troops to help rescue stranded drivers.
Airlines have delayed and canceled hundreds of flights out of Chicago's two major airports and are monitoring the storm throughout the night to determine if more cancellations will be necessary on Friday.
story from 4:30 a.m. Thursday, 12/20/12
BARBARA RODRIGUEZ
Associated Press
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - The first major snowstorm to hit the Midwest this season is sweeping across the region, shuttering schools and creating dangerous driving conditions.
Forecasters are warning that heavy snowfall coupled with strong winds will create blizzard conditions Thursday from Kansas to Wisconsin.
The weather is also threatening to cause delays at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, the nation's second-busiest airport, ahead of the busy holiday weekend.
Nebraska's largest school district canceled classes because of heavy overnight snow, as did many districts across Iowa, where drivers are being told to stay off the roads because of whiteout conditions.
The heaviest snow is expected across a swath extending from northwest Missouri into Milwaukee, Chicago and Michigan. As much as a foot of snow could fall in some areas.
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