Thanksgiving Travel Thrown Into Chaos by Major Winter Storm
A powerful winter storm system wreaked havoc across the United States over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, disrupting one of the busiest travel periods of the year. The severe weather, which brought heavy snow and strong winds to the Midwest and thunderstorms to the South, placed 53 million people under winter weather alerts from South Dakota to New York.
Road and Runway Incidents
The treacherous conditions led to several serious incidents. In Indiana, a massive 45-car pile-up occurred on Interstate 78 around 11:30 am local time on Saturday. Fortunately, Indiana state police confirmed that no serious injuries resulted from the collision. Sergeant Matt Ames offered stark advice to motorists: "Folks, if you can stay home, stay home." He urged drivers to act smartly by reducing speed and ensuring seatbelts were fastened.
In the air, a Delta Air Lines plane skidded off the runway during its landing at Des Moines International Airport in Iowa. The Federal Aviation Administration has opened an investigation into the incident, from which no injuries were reported.
Record Snowfall and Widespread Disruption
The storm dumped record-breaking amounts of snow across the region. Des Moines airport recorded 10.9 inches (28cm) of snow by midnight on Sunday, marking its highest two-day snowfall since January 2024. Several other areas of Iowa reported over a foot of snow.
Chicago was hit particularly hard, with 8.4 inches of snow recorded at O'Hare International Airport on Saturday alone. This set a new record for the snowiest November day in the city's history. The impact was severe, with Illinois state police reporting nearly 500 auto crashes in the Chicago area on Saturday, 66 of which involved injuries.
The air travel network suffered immensely. On Sunday, over 4,600 flights within, into, or out of the US were delayed, with an additional 576 flights cancelled. A staggering over 20% of all delays were linked to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, a major global hub.
The storm's effects were also felt on the East Coast, where cold rain was expected to cause potential travel impacts in major cities including Cleveland, Buffalo, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Charlotte, and Atlanta.
