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Winter storm updates: More than 1,500 flights canceled today and nearly 3,000 delayed as bomb cyclone cancels Christmas
Jack Birle
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Christmas travel plans for hundreds of thousands of people are in jeopardy as a “bomb cyclone” brings freezing temperatures and blizzard conditions to various parts of the country.
Of flights leaving from and arriving in cities in the United States on Thursday, so far, more than 1,500 have been canceled and nearly 3,000 have been delayed, according to Flight Aware.
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Delays and cancellations are expected to pile up as much of the Midwest sees massive temperature drops, with Denver, Colorado, seeing a 50-degree temperature drop in only 24 hours. Forecasters are predicting Chicago could have its coldest Christmas since 1996, with a projected temperature of 12 degrees.
The expected poor weather conditions have prompted the governors of Georgia, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Wyoming to issue weather-based emergencies. Much of the Midwest and Northeast are expected to be hit the worst.
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Wind chills in the northern parts of the Midwest are expected to reach the negative double digits, while heavy snowfall is expected to hit parts of Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio.
With the inclement weather across the country, various airlines are offering to waive cancellation and change fees in order to get fewer people to travel during the Christmas season.