A winter storm rolled through the southwest and central sections of the United States yesterday, causing at least 15 deaths and bringing an unexpected white Christmas to parts of the country that seldom see snow.
Three people were killed in Oklahoma as a winter storm dumped up to 12 inches of snow in some parts of the state. The capital, Oklahoma City, received about six inches of snow and is likely to have its first White Christmas in over 25 years.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for large parts of southern Missouri and sections of Illinois. It said the storm will likely head east-northwest toward and cities such as Indianapolis, Cleveland and Detroit could see about three inches to six inches of snow.
The winter storm pummelled a swathe from the central plains to the Ohio River valley with up to a foot of snow, triggering hundreds of traffic accidents on clogged roads and highways.
"The crews are out trying to keep the roads clear but it's falling faster than they can plough it," said Ms Susie Stoner of the Emergency Management Agency in Missouri, where as many as eight storm-related traffic deaths were reported since snow began falling on Monday afternoon.
The storm was also blamed for at least three fatalities in traffic accidents in Kansas where a travel advisory urging curtailed nonessential travel was in effect.
The snow slowed down air transport, snarled traffic on highways and delayed the journey of hordes of people trying to be home with their families for the Christmas holidays.