Winter Storm Jayden is well underway, and as it marches across the Midwest and sets its sights on the South and East, the storm is responsible for three deaths and well over a thousand flights canceled. Government offices, schools and businesses have also announced closures in preparation of the storm.
Two people were killed in separate crashes along sections of Interstate 80 in western Iowa made icy by Winter Storm Jayden. A snowplow hit and killed a man Monday morning in Libertyville, a suburb north of Chicago.
More than 1,800 flights into and out of the U.S. had been canceled by 7:45 p.m. Monday, most of them flying out of or into Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway airports. More than 775 flights have been canceled for Tuesday already.
Here’s a full breakdown of how different regions of the country are dealing with Winter Storm Jayden:
Midwest
Commuters ran into several trouble spots around Detroit when they tried to make it home Monday evening. The Michigan Department of Transportation tweeted about dozens of crashes on interstates in the metro area’
In Wisconsin, Gov. Tony Evers declared a state of emergency Monday, extending through the end of the work week to make sure all state assets are available, including the Wisconsin National Guard if needed, to help communities across the state and keep people warm and safe.
State government offices in Michigan’s lower peninsula shut down Monday morning with heavy snow moving into the area. Only vital offices were kept open with the snowstorm blasting the state. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer asked drivers to keep off the roads.
The Minnesota State Patrol responded to 134 crashes and 137 spinouts from midnight Sunday to 10 a.m. Monday.
In Wisconsin and Minnesota, the largest of both states’ school districts — including Milwaukee, Minneapolis and St. Paul — closed Monday.
The University of Notre Dame announced the campus will be closed from Tuesday at 7 p.m. until 1 p.m. Thursday. Student dining halls will remain open with extended hours, as will the lower levels of the Hesburgh Library and the LaFortune Student Center. Notre Dame’s last closure due to weather came almost five years ago to the date.
The Chicago Zoological Society announced that the Brookfield Zoo will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday because of the threat of frigid weather. This will be only the fourth time the zoo has closed during its 85-year history.
South
In Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp announced the closure of all state offices Tuesday.“We want everyone to be safe,” Kemp announced in a news conference.
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced that all city office would also be closed Tuesday. The city’s public schools and several suburban school districts will also be closed. Thousands of visitors are in town for Sunday’s Super Bowl.
Delta Air Lines has issued a weather waiver for Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport as well as 26 airports throughout the Northeast with weather possibly playing a factor in traveling into and out of destinations in Jayden’s path. The waiver allows customers on flights to or from cities that may be affected to change their flight plans without a fee.
Northwest of Atlanta, Kennesaw State University announced a closure of both Kennesaw and Marietta campuses on Tuesday. University bus and student health services will be closed as well. Georgia Tech also announced a campus closure for Tuesday with wintry weather inbound.
Alabama‘s Gov. Kay Ivey declared a state of emergency Monday afternoon for all the state’s counties in advance of the storm, adding:
“This winter storm has the potential to affect a large portion of our state. Citizens in the northern half of the state should be especially mindful of the changing weather conditions,” Ivey said in a news release. “Travel conditions could be negatively impacted Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. Please avoid travel if possible, and be very careful if you do have to get out on the roadways.”
Santa Rosa County in Florida’s Panhandle said a cold weather shelter would be open Tuesday and Wednesday.
Mid-Atlantic States
Health officials in Baltimore have declared a “Code Blue” emergency from Tuesday night through Friday morning, meaning, agencies offer meals to elderly residents and urge homeless people to enter shelters. The city’s public works department expects water main breaks and encouraged residents to protect outdoor or exposed pipes from the cold.
Meanwhile the cops are joking
We
— Wyoming (MN) Police (@wyomingpd) January 25, 2019
really
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need you to not commit any crimes while it’s -10 degrees out. srsly.
This is the third named winter storm in 2019. A record-breaking year?
In North Alabama, we had Winter Storm Warning effective since mid-night last night. When I went outside around mid-night, it was not cold enough for snow. We had quite rain, but not snow as expected. Today, it is cold but sunny day, but no schools because “they” expected this winter storm that was not effective around North Alabama.
01/29/2019 Hudsonville, Michigan 15 Car Pileup and Blizzard Conditions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUhSlQfXolU&index=5&list=UU1nJElGcVcTpeZJVyxEbzJw
Keep warm!
Thanks!