Blizzard conditions bear down on central US, closing schools and highways

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A “highly impactful” winter storm began delivering a punch to the country’s midsection with blizzard conditions that could dump as much as a foot or more of snow. The storm shut down schools and highways in several Midwest states Monday. The National Weather Service says the storm has the potential to bring 8 to 12 inches of snow to a broad area that stretches from southeastern Colorado to the upper peninsula of Michigan. National Weather Service forecaster Bob Oravec says they expect “a very, very highly impactful event.” Disruptions extended as far south as the Oklahoma panhandle and Texas.