DENVER — A powerful storm system pounded a large swath of the nation’s midsection Tuesday, spawning everything from heavy snow and numbing cold to hail and possible tornadoes, and forecasters warned more could be on the way.
Thousands of people lost power, and some government offices, schools and highways closed because of snow. Avalanche warnings were issued for some Western mountain regions.
Authorities found two of three snowmobilers lost in the mountains west of Denver late Tuesday after receiving phone text messages. The three man had failed to return Sunday from a planned one-day trip. Search efforts were delayed by bad weather and avalanche danger, a sheriff’s spokeswoman said.
About 3 feet of snow has fallen in the area since Sunday morning, said Kyle Fredin of the National Weather Service. Snow began to taper off Tuesday, but up to a foot more was expected before the weather clears up by the weekend, Fredin said.
The system also dragged bitterly cold air across the northern Plains, with the National Weather Service reporting a midday temperature of minus 24 at Glasgow, Mont. North Dakota registered wind chill factors of minus 54 early Tuesday at Garrison, with an actual low of minus 24 at Williston.
The cold air and wind gusting as high as 70 mph headed into the Midwest, where fog created problems for air travel Tuesday in Chicago. At least 200 flights were canceled at O’Hare Airport. Powerful winds and blowing snow were expected to cause near whiteout conditions in the Chicago area.
The National Weather Service reported an unconfirmed tornado touchdown near Okawville, Ill. In Cape Girardeau County, Mo., winds as high as 70 mph and dime-size hail were reported Tuesday, and the county was under a tornado warning.
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