A winter storm wreaked havoc across the central United States on Tuesday, December 26, causing chaos and dangerous conditions for residents and travelers. From an ice storm in North Dakota to blizzard conditions in Colorado, the storm brought heavy snowfall and high winds, resulting in flight cancellations, road closures, and power outages.

In Bismarck, North Dakota, residents were faced with treacherous conditions as the storm sealed windows shut and covered driveways with sheer ice. Laura Schmidt-Dockter, a resident of Bismarck, posted a video on social media showing her neighbor skating down the street on the icy surface. Despite the hazardous conditions, the neighbor jokingly remarked that "It's actually not bad!"

Denver International Airport experienced significant disruptions, with over 530 flight delays and 23 cancellations reported. The blizzard conditions in Colorado's plains led to the closure of Interstate 70 eastbound from Denver to Kansas, and travelers were unable to enter Colorado from Kansas due to the threat posed by high winds. According to the National Weather Service, blizzard conditions occur when winds exceed 35 miles per hour for three hours or more, with blowing snow and visibility reduced to less than a quarter-mile. Blizzard warnings were issued for western portions of South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas, as well as eastern portions of Colorado and Wyoming.

Tragically, on Christmas Day, a fatal accident occurred in Kansas due to the snowy and icy conditions. One person was killed and three others were injured when a pickup truck collided head-on with a sport utility vehicle near Larned. The driver of the pickup truck lost control on the slippery road.

Despite warnings from officials, some individuals ignored the no-travel advisory in South Dakota. The Rosebud Sioux Tribe's Office of Emergency Management reported on Facebook that they dispatched multiple resources to rescue a total of 13 people who disregarded the advisory. Additionally, ranchers attempting to reach these motorists became stuck themselves. Thankfully, all individuals were eventually rescued and deemed safe.

The severe weather also led to the closure of Badlands National Park and the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site in South Dakota as a precautionary measure.

The storm's impact extended beyond the immediate region, with freezing rain and strong winds causing power outages in the southern James River Valley in North Dakota. However, no major outages were reported. The National Weather Service emphasized the risks of fire caused by candles or space heaters during power outages and urged caution with portable generators to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

This report was contributed by Associated Press writers Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas, and Jack Dura in Bismarck, North Dakota. Trisha Ahmed, a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative, provided additional coverage on this story. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues.