A powerful winter storm system threatening to snarl travel across the United States could turn post-holiday journeys into a major safety risk for millions of people. Forecasters warn that as the year winds down, a developing winter storm will bring snow, sleet, and freezing rain over the crucial post-Christmas travel period, raising the prospect of widespread disruption on roads and in the skies.
The storm's timing could not be worse, with millions of Americans already on the move for New Year plans. The chaos has already begun, with more than 1,500 flights cancelled across the Northeast and Great Lakes regions. Officials from the National Weather Service (NWS) have issued winter weather advisories and warnings across large swathes of the country, cautioning that roads could become dangerously slick.
