Winter storm threatens to cripple Christmas travel

A major winter storm making its way across the country threatens to bring heavy snowfall, strong wind, and freezing temperatures. More than 90 million people across 37 states are under winter weather alerts, according to the National Weather Service. The storm will drive temperatures down rapidly Thursday as the system makes its way across the Northern Plains. States as far south as Texas and Florida are expected to see temperatures drop into the teens over the Christmas weekend, and the Midwest could experience blizzard conditions.

What does this mean for travel? Airlines including Delta, American, United, Southwest, and JetBlue have issued travel waivers for dozens of airports in anticipation of flight cancellations. Roadways could also become dangerous in areas where snow causes white-out conditions, or in the event that ice accumulates on roads. 

Dig deeper: Listen to Steve West share memories of past snow days from WORLD readers and listeners.