The Associated Press

A powerful winter storm blew through the nation’s midsection from Minnesota to North Carolina, dumping as much as 9 inches of snow, tangling travel and closing schools across the region.

Thursday, January 20, 2000

A powerful winter storm blew through the nation’s midsection from Minnesota to North Carolina, dumping as much as 9 inches of snow, tangling travel and closing schools across the region.

The storm moved east today with accumulations of up to 8 inches expected in parts of New England and mid-Atlantic states.

In Delaware, Gov. Thomas Carper canceled his State of the State address because of the snow.

On Wednesday, high winds added to the wintry mix, blowing snow and making driving treacherous. Blizzard conditions that snarled traffic in Iowa were blamed for three deaths there Wednesday. Michigan also reported one fatal accident in the storm.

Byron, Minn., received 9 inches of snow, while lesser amounts fell in Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois, east into Indiana, Michigan and Ohio and as far south as North Carolina.

”This is probably really more typical of what a winter should be in North Carolina than what we’ve had in the last three years,” said Ron Humble, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Raleigh. The storm dropped 1 to 3 inches of snow over much of the state.

Schools were closed across North Carolina today, and businesses delayed opening a few hours so that roads could be cleared.

New York, Maryland and Virginia also reported many school closings, as authorities braced for up to 6 inches of snow forecast by day’s end. The National Weather Service predicted up to 8 inches today in New England.

”Our main focus is, don’t travel unless you have to. And if you do, make sure you have things like blankets and a small shovel in case you get stuck,” said Maryland State Police Lt. Joseph Baker.

Travelers were inconvenienced in the Midwest. In Minnesota, Northwest Airlines on Wednesday canceled close to 200 flights that were scheduled to leave Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, forcing many travelers to kill a few hours waiting for later flights. Just over 8 inches of snow was recorded at the airport.