by Donald Wood
Last updated: 10:00 AM ET, Mon December 12, 2016
Sunday saw more than 1,800 flights canceled due to snowy conditions in the Midwest, but travelers should be preparing for even more chaos as another major weather system is preparing to bring heavy snow to the United States.
According to NBCNews.com, more than 1,390 flights were canceled at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and Midway International Airport alone Sunday and delays were common throughout the region. In addition, the Detroit Metropolitan Airport also canceled over 200 flights Sunday.
Officials at O'Hare and Midway airports reported 3.9 and 3.7 inches of snowfall, respectively.
The problem now is that while the Midwest continues to dig out, there is another winter storm heading toward the region for the second half of the week ahead. According to Weather.com, moisture from the jet stream will meet with cold air in the north and a high pressure system in the eastern United States to result in a high potential for snow, sleet and freezing rain.
Starting on Wednesday and moving into Thursday, snow will be spreading throughout the west from Oregon to the Rockies of Colorado. The northern Sierra Nevada is expected to get hit the hardest, with 1-2 feet of snow possible at and above pass level.
On Friday, the storm will reach the northern Plains, upper Midwest and Great Lakes, where snow and heavy winds could create havoc as low visibility results in dangerous travel conditions. The central Plains and mid-Mississippi Valley are also likely to deal with freezing rain or sleet.
Heading into Saturday, a cold air system in the Northeast could meet with the moisture from the winter storm, dumping snow in the upper Midwest and parts of the East coast. How much precipitation residents in the Northeast should expect will be dependent on how cold the air is when the storm arrives.
To be prepared, check flight statuses and road conditions before hitting the road.
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