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Winter Storm Europa Prompts Hundreds of Miles of Interstate Closures as Conditions Deteriorate
Winter Storm Europa Prompts Hundreds of Miles of Interstate Closures as Conditions Deteriorate
Sep 23, 2024 1:22 PM

At a Glance

A 240-mile stretch of Interstate 94 in North Dakota was closed due to near impossible travel conditions.A 100-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 83 was also closed in North Dakota. A 20+ car pileup was reported in Spokane, Washington, with no injuries confirmed

Nightmarish travel conditions will continue Monday as Winter Storm Europa continues its march across the northern United States.

The storm that has delivered blizzard conditions to much of the northern Plains/upper Midwest on Sunday will move on into parts of northern New England by Monday evening, bringing a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rainthat will slicken roads, says weather.com chief meteorologist Jonathan Erdman.

"Blizzard conditions will continue in parts of the northern Plains through at least Monday morning. Road closures will still be widespread and some power outages are possible due to high winds plus snow and/or ice accumulated on trees and power lines," says Erdman. "Monday afternoon, winds should gradually wind down. However, it will take some time for plows to clear roads plagued by significant drifting snow."

Meanwhile, hundreds of miles of interstate were closed across the Dakotas as of Sunday night.

The storm also has caused widespread power outages in the Dakotas, Nebraska and western Iowa.

Here's the latest on Winter Storm Europa in each state:

(MORE: )

NEBRASKA

High winds were cited for hundreds of power outages in central and eastern portions of the state, according to the Associated Press.

NORTH DAKOTA

Two hundred and forty miles of interstate 94 remained closed Sunday night, from the Montana border to Jamestown, North Dakota, according to the Associated Press. U.S. Highway 83 between Bismarck and Minot was also closed by the North Dakota Transportation Department as of Sunday night, as U.S. Highways 2, 52 and 281 because of snow, ice and "near zero visibility."

In fact, from the North Dakota Transportation Department, according to KFYRTV.COM.

The city of Bismarck issued a snow emergency as of 6 p.m. Sunday night, meaning from designated snow emergency routes so the city can plow overnight, My ND Now reports.

SOUTH DAKOTA

The South Dakota Department of Transportation closed more than 200 miles of Interstate 90 in both directions from the Wyoming border to Chamberlain, South Dakota. There was no word on when the stretch of interstate would reopen.

As of 1 a.m. Monday, the South Dakota Rural Electric Association was reporting 10,231 "member-consumer-owners" were without power.

Icy conditions in Aberdeen prompted the Brown County Sheriff's Office to issue a no travel advisory. The city is also under a weather service flash flood warning after rain and snowmelt flooded major intersections in the city.

WISCONSIN

Icy conditions caused travel headaches for one NFL team as a big weekend of football got underway.

The Minnesota Vikings' planein Wisconsin Saturday, but no injuries were reported from the incident and all of the plane's passengers were safely rescued by emergency personnel.

ARIZONA

Weather caused serious travel problems in Arizona Saturday. Parts of Interstate 40 and other highways in northern Arizona's high country were closed Saturday afternoon due to weather and multiple crashes, according to the Associated Press. I-40 was closed in both directions on a 49-mile stretch between Ash Fork and Flagstaff. A crash involving two semi-trucks on I-40 impacted westbound traffic in Flagstaff, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

About 50 vehicles blocked I-17 north of State Route 179 when multiple vehicles slid off the roadway and several became stuck, according to the Arizona DOT. Parts of I-17 closed in both directions.

There were also collisions and closures on State Routes 89, 89A, 87, 238 and 64. State Route 238 was closed between Gila Bend and Maricopa due to flooding from heavy rainfall. Part of the roadway will remain closed overnight.

IDAHO

In Idaho, a young boy was critically injured after he was while playing in the snow Friday, according to Idaho Statesman. The boy was partially buried in the freshly fallen snow when the incident occurred.A 17-year-old girl was after losing control of her vehicle on I-90, according to The Spokesman-Review. She was taken to the hospital for treatment.

CALIFORNIA

Winter Storm Europa managed to close some roadways in California on Saturday.

The California Highway Patrol said the in the Grapevine area was closed at one point due to weather restrictions. While the stretch of interstate on I-5 was shut down, other routes initially impacted by winter weather that wereclosed have been opened as of Saturday morning.

According to the Sacramento Bee, a portion of Highway 50 was closed Friday morning near Echo Summit after an SUV spun out and became wedged near an embankment. No injuries were reported in the slide-off, the Bee also said.

A few flights were canceled into and out of Portland International Airport and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Friday, according to .

OREGON

Europa on Friday prompted road closures across the state of Oregon, with I-84 closed westbound between Ontario and Baker City. However, the Oregon Department of Transportation said I-84 is now completely open between Pendleton and Ontario.

WASHINGTON

Many across the state of Washington faced hazardous travel conditions on Friday with at least one major pileup reported in Spokane.

KHQ Local News in Spokane reported that as many as 20 cars and a bus were piled up on a stalled road. No injuries were reported from the incident.

Mandan firefighters Shane Weltikol, left, and Chad Nicklos clear accumulating snow from outside the firehouse in downtown Mandan, N.D., as Winter Storm Europa intensifies on Sunday, Dec. 25, 2016. Most of the Dakotas and southwest Minnesota had turned into a slippery mess due to freezing rain Sunday morning before snow arrived later in the day as temperatures fell. (Tom Stromme/The Bismarck Tribune via AP)

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