Snow, icy temperatures, chill US Midwest, cancel flights

Icy temperatures and snow chilled the US Midwest Saturday, delaying and cancelling flights just as Christmas revellers were trying to return home after the holidays, dpa reported.

Meteorologists expected more than 30 centimetres of snow in North Dakota, with temperatures of minus 36 Celsius. The states of Oklahoma, Kansas, South Dakota and Minnesota were also bracing for more bad weather, as was Chicago.

CNN weather forecasters said Midwest blizzards were delaying flights in Chicago by more than four hours, while one- and two-hour delays were affecting New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia airports.

Added airport delays were expected from increased security measures after the failed terrorist attack on Friday on a Northwest Airlines flight just outside Detroit.

Blowing snow drifts closed long stretches of interstate highways across Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Chicago, Accuweather.com reported. Many Christmas church services were cancelled on Friday due to the weather.

The Midwest storms followed the previous weekend's blizzard that shut down much of the East Coast, from Washington DC to Boston. Dozens of deaths were blamed on traffic accidents caused by the ice and snow.