s midsection endures winter storm

A huge storm spread snow and ice across the middle of the nation on Saturday, canceling or delaying some flights at Dallas and Chicago and sending cars sliding into ditches and each other.

Up to 2 feet of snow was possible by this morning on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the National Weather Service said. Amounts by midday Saturday ranged from 1 to 2 inches in Texas to 4 to 8 inches in Oklahoma and 8 1/2 at Grand Rapids, Mich.

About 100 flights were delayed by the weather Saturday at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, a spokesman said. And a spokesman for the city of Fort Worth, Pat Svacina, said there were numerous accidents as freezing rain and snow coated the roads.

The snow stopped falling by noon in Texas, but temperatures in the Dallas area remained in the 20s, and in parts of the region a brisk wind made it feel as cold as 5 degrees, said Lonnie King, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Lows in the teens were expected this morning.

“It was just a real quick shot during the morning hours,” King said. “The big problem is going to be the strong winds and wind chill.”

In Illinois, O’Hare International Airport reported 6 inches of snow, while most of the Chicago area had 4 to 5 inches.

“We’ve seen some selective (flight) cancellations, but it hasn’t been too bad,” said Monique Bond, spokeswoman for the Chicago Department of Aviation. “So far, so good.”