Blizzard conditions have slowly subsided across parts of Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota and Minnesota overnight as the snow ended and the roaring winds began to calm, CNN reported.
The same storm system also slammed the South with severe weather at the end of an usually warm winter day.
But it was central and eastern Nebraska that took the brunt, with up to 20 inches of snow covering parts of the state, whipped by winds gusting to 50 mph.
Bad road conditions forced the closure of Interstate 80 from Lincoln to North Platte, a stretch of more than 200 miles.
In Kansas, sections of 13 highways were closed and the other roads were icy and slippery, Kim Qualls of the state’s Department of Transportation, told CNN.
In Minnesota, a snow emergency was declared in Minneapolis, according to the city's website. Parking restrictions were in effect for 1,000 miles of road, the city said.
Cancelled flights
The storm also grounded air travel across the region. More than 700 flights were canceled on Tuesday and at least 250 more were called off for Wednesday, according to the flight-tracking website FlightAware.com.
Not every flight cancellation on the website was because of the weather, but Denver, Omaha, Minneapolis-Saint Paul and Chicago reported the greatest number of cancellations.
Tornadoes
At least two tornadoes hit Mississippi, including in Shuqualak, the National Weather Service in Jackson said.
There were reports of damage in Collinsville to a church and several homes, Dinah Farmer, who is with the Lauderdale County Emergency Management, told CNN.
The National Weather Service in Birmingham, Ala., said a tornado cut through Pickens County on Tuesday evening. Sky Hallmon, an emergency official with the county, told CNN that several homes and mobile homes were damaged. Administrative offices for a federal prison also were damaged, he said.
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