Snow and Ice Close Swath of Great Plains

More than 500 flights were canceled out of Denver, Colorado as blizzard conditions struck a region accustomed to high snow amounts. 

Travel was dangerous as you moved eastward. 

Snow closed roads in Kansas, South Dakota, North Dakota and Nebraska beginning on Christmas Day and extended for days. 

Nebraska officials closed parts of Interstate 80 on Monday as blizzard conditions settled in as travel was not recommended around the entire state. Semi-trucks were forced off the road while snow piled up on other stretches of pavement.

The system closed I-29 in North Dakota as ice was the major problem. 

The National Weather Service of Grand Forks has only issued five ice storm warnings over the past twenty years - this week’s system was the highest totals since the late 1990’s. One inch thick accumulations were common causing widespread power outages, tree damage and travel disruptions. 

Some snow remains on the Plains. 

The weekly precipitation map shows a lot of green from Texas north to Canada and most points East. 

And with moderate soil temps, the moisture soaked into the ground. 

The Drought Monitor did reveal some improvement by a point nationwide because of the moisture. 

For Market to Market, I’m Peter Tubbs.