A massive winter snowstorm blanketed much of the western U.S. on Sunday as parts of the South saw unseasonably warm temperatures, breaking record highs in some cities on Christmas Day.
The National Weather Service announced winter storm warnings across the West Coast on Sunday, stretching from the Canadian to the Mexican border.
Snow and ice caused widespread problems at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. About 27% of flights Sunday were canceled and and 39% were delayed, according to the tracking website FlightAware, which doesn’t specify causes.
Airlines are struggling with cancellations and delays over the holidays due to staffing shortages caused by the omicron variant.
The snowstorm slammed the Reno-Tahoe region, dumping several inches of snow in the Reno area and several feet at Lake Tahoe ski resorts.
A 70-mile stretch of Interstate 80 in western California was closed through at least Monday, and other major roads were closed because of dangerous conditions.
“Expect major travel delays on all roads,” the National Weather Service office in Reno, Nevada, said Sunday on Twitter. “Today is the type of day to just stay home if you can. More snow is on the way too!”
The weather service issued a winter storm warning for greater Lake Tahoe until 1 a.m. Tuesday because of possible “widespread whiteout conditions” and wind gusts that could top 45 mph.
Sunday morning, the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District in Washoe County, where Reno is…
