Winter Storm Effects Felt Across the Nation

Not delightful weather for holiday travel

For many people around the nation, the weather outside truly is frightful.

A cold front gripped the Pacific Northwest, dumping several inches of snow in a powerful storm not seen in more than a dozen years.

The storm has since moved east and has led to, among other things, delayed or canceled flights, treacherous driving conditions and other headaches.

Read on for just some of the stories submitted by msnbc.com readers.

We are waiting on family from N.Y. Flight was supposed to be JFK to Cleveland but that was canceled on Thursday and rescheduled N.Y. to Chicago to Cleveland. Flight out of N.Y. today was five hours delayed and if they get out of Chicago once they get there remains to be seen.
— Sue Gargiulo, Cleveland, Ohio

Schools were canceled even before the storm hit. When it finally came, the roads were covered in no time. We were let out of work at noon because of the bad conditions. I live seven miles from where I work and it took me 45 minutes to get home. There were whiteout conditions and the roads were not even plowed until 4:00 in the evening. The thinking was, why plow the roads when we are going to keep getting more.
— Steve Lash, Phelps, N.Y.

Its really slippery. Folks are driving slow and trucks are trying to plow and sand. We planned to drive to Pennsylvania today, but will delay until morning.
— Robin Verdant, Brattleboro, Vt.

Hundreds of people including a college basketball team were stranded in Spokane because of the record amount of snowfall in 24 hours. The delays continue today as my daughter tries to arrive home from Florida.
— Karen Nelli, Mead, Wash.

On Wednesday, Dec. 17, we boarded a Southwest airplane in Las Vegas at 1:40 p.m. Snow was just starting. The plane needed to be de-iced. We sat for an hour and a half before returning to the gate. All flights were canceled. The airport was closed. A native Las Vegan, Chris Durand, kindly invited four of us, including a 5-month-old infant, to her home. It took over four hours to retrieve our luggage. Chris welcomed us into her home, prepared a lovely dinner and great accommodations, including breakfast the next morning. I was able to get a flight to Providence at 5 p.m. and still await news of my fellow travelers. Chris needs to be acknowledged for her willingness to take in four strangers and represents the true meaning of the holidays.
— Deborah Barac, Norton, Mass.

I'm a student at the University of Arizona and tomorrow (Saturday) morning I am heading back home to Connecticut, where there is at least six inches of snow on the ground already. Let's just say everyone here is really nervous about getting to the East Coast on time. Here's hoping that I get home sometime tomorrow!
— Leslie, Tucson, Ariz.

It sucks, the roads were bad this morning. This is heavy snow in Detroit, not the light fluffy stuff. It's so not fun but skiing this weekend should be awesome.
— AR Freeman, Detroit

It's pretty slick. We knew it was coming though! Better prepared than not.
— Joshua S., Greenville, Mich.

Over two feet of snow in the last day or so. Only some arterials are plowed. Other main roads are an absolute mess. Cars getting stuck and backing up traffic [for a] half mile. Yesterday we dug out several cars on our road. No way the postal service will be able to deliver.
— Bill Downie, Spokane, Wash.

I live in Midwest Iowa and the kids didn't have school here today. We did not get as much ice and snow as we thought, but enough to mess things up. No power outages in our area as far as we know. Travel is fair as long as you take your time. My son is loving it, snowboarding with his cousin — couldn't ask for more.
— Paula Eickholt, Dunlap, Iowa

Scary! The weather reporters frightened me to the point where I wouldn't even take out the trash! If this is four inches, I wonder what eight will do! I'm taking a train next time.
— Michelle Gardenier, Port Townsend, Wash.

Everyone is dreading the trip to the frozen north to see the grandkids for Christmas. Must be global cooling? Paradise in Florida will welcome everyone back.
— Joe S., Marco Island, Fla.

Nope. I moved from the Northeast to Nashville, Tenn., back in '95 to get away from that nonsense. It hit 73 degrees today and I had to turn on the A/C in my house ... December 19th!
— Deano, Nashville, Tenn.

Sixty-five degrees, blue skies, sunshine in Tempe. You must be crazy living in that mess.
— Bob Russo, Tempe, Ariz.

Well, it's quite balmy here in Jacksonville. The temperature is 77 degrees, partly cloudy skies. Just drove home from the beach, which had a nice sea breeze. New Englander's and Chicago folks, hope you stay warm!
— Mike Schmied, Jacksonville, Fla.

I am flying to Daytona Beach Florida. I am flying from the Dayton International Airport in Dayton, Ohio. I left my house at 5:30 this morning and I got to the airport at 7:30. My flight was for 10:15 this morning but I am still at the airport. But they are saying we could take off around 7:15 this evening. I hope they take off soon or I will cry. Please put my story on the news.
— Robert J Francis, Fort Loramie, Ohio

High near 80, winds from the west 6 mph. Thinking about going surf fishing on Jekyll Island.
— Ken Cooper, Waycross, Ga.

Western Montana — snow-packed roads, icy roads. Blowing snow, and the temperature is about four degrees.
— Shanda, Polson, Mont.

This is why I chose to move to Hawaii. We just get a lot of rain but its still in the 70s.
— Ryan Day, Honolulu

It's really bad here in Southwest Florida. I just got back from shoveling a foot of sunshine off my driveway! Whew!
— Bob Paxton, Punta Gorda, Fla.

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