Midwest Winter Storm

A massive winter storm dumped more than a foot of snow on some parts of the Midwest, shut down major roads in several states and left hundreds of thousands of people without power and air transport. The storm also is blamed for at least two deaths. And more nasty weather was forecasted for Friday. Very gusty winds, as well as some hail, downpours and even tornadoes may be seen along the East Coast from Raleigh, N.C., to Boston. Meanwhile, 12 to 18 inches of snow are expected in parts of Illinois and Missouri. A blizzard warning was posted in parts of Oklahoma, and Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius declared a disaster emergency for 27 counties, freeing up resources to help them. A Fed Ex cargo plane arriving Friday morning at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport slipped into the mud off the only open runway, and crews were working to tow it away. There were no injuries, said Wendy Abrams, a spokeswoman for the Chicago Department of Aviation. The first major snowstorm of the season canceled hundreds of flights and hobbled highways in the Plains and Midwest.