Hundreds of thousands of people intending to travel to family or friends for the holidays have had their plans disrupted as airlines canceled nearly 4,000 flights in advance of a major winter storm hitting most of the United States, Reuters reports.
Amtrak canceled routes from New York to Chicago and various trains that run through the midwest. In a rare event, 20-foot waves are forecast for each of the five Great Lakes, likely disrupting shipping.
Nearly 2,200 flights were canceled for Thursday and another 1,600 have already been canceled for Friday as the Christmas holiday comes up on Sunday. The storm is expected to disrupt travel through key airports in Chicago, Detroit and Minneapolis.