Airlines cancel flights as winter storm spreads

Airlines canceled more than 1,700 flights on Wednesday as a massive winter storm swept across much of the United States. Several airlines, including Southwest, Delta, American, and United issued winter weather waivers. Schools shut down across the northern Plains, with the extreme winter weather expected to affect millions of people. The National Weather Service warned that much of the western and northcentral U.S. would get high winds and blizzard conditions, with some areas getting up to two feet of snow through Thursday. Officials warned residents where the storm is expected to be intense to stay off the roads due to possible whiteout conditions.