Wide swaths of the country are experiencing flight cancelations and weather-related traffic accidents in the wake of Winter Storm Linus, which hammered the Midwest and Great Plains Sunday and moved to the Northeast and New England early Monday morning.

Local officials across the Midwest and Northeast are advising the millions in the storm's path to avoid travel if possible.

Nationwide, more than canceled Sunday and Monday, according to FlightAware.com. At Chicago's O'Hare airport alone, more than 2,200 flights were canceled between Sunday and Monday, as the city dug out from more than 19 inches of snow. On Sunday, it snowed 16.2 in Chicago, the new daily snowfall record, The Weather Channel reported.

(MORE: )Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner has advised against travel and put state agencies on alert to help out local areas as needed. The state's Department of Transportation snow plows have been clearing roadways since the weekend and were set to continue overnight Monday. Amtrak officials halted Monday morning service between Chicago and Quincy. Part of the route was closed because of heavy blowing and drifting snow.

Power issues caused Chicago's Yellow line train to be suspended Sunday, but bus and railway service in the city Monday morning, according to Chicago's CTA.

NBC5 Chicago reported early Monday morning that portions of the city's expressways were completely snow covered and slick while other wide portions were clear. Side roads are still in the process of being cleared, as some lake effect snow blows across the region.

Later in the morning,parts of I-294 near Hickory Hills were shut downafter , an Illinois State Police spokesperson told the station.The crash, near mile marker 18, involved several cars and tractor-trailers, the official said. Social media reports indicated there could be as many as 50 cars ensnared in the crash.

The Ohio Turnpike issued for large vehicles and certain tractor-trailers. The ban lifted at 9 a.m. Monday, three hours earlier than originally scheduled.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation issued on I-90 early Monday. A parking ban is also in effect, as more than 3,300 crews work to keep roadways clear. Speed restrictions are also in place for major routes in Pennsylvania, .

New York City's subways and buses, Long Island Railroad, Metro-North and Amtrak trains were operating on normal weekday schedules Monday morning in advance of Linus's heaviest impacts in the region. But around noon, New Jersey transit's Hudson-Bergen light rail was suspended due to overhead wire issues related to the weather, . Other trains were operating on 20 to 30 minute delays because of conditions in the area.

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The MTA said it has snow and ice-fighting equipment across its network and extra crews are keeping platforms clear of snow and ice. It also has a fleet of snow-clearing equipment on its bridges and tunnels and 9,800 tons of de-icing material, The Associated Press reported.Dangerous road conditions lead to at least two deaths Sunday. In Nebraska, a truck driver and a 62-year-old woman were killed in separate traffic accidents on snowy roads. Toledo's70-year-old mayor was hospitalized after an accident while he was out checking road conditions, The Associated Press reported.

A with two fatalities was reported Monday morning on Indianapolis's I-74, WTHR reported.

MORE: Winter Storm Linus in Photos

Pedestrians navigate the snow, ice and puddles along a Manhattan street on Feb. 2, 2015 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)