Hannah Foslien / AP Photo
Those in the Midwest hoping for a winter wonderland this holiday may have wanted to rescind their wish when snow and ice left many stranded as highways and airports closed Friday. Blizzard conditions were forecast for North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin on Christmas Day and into the evening, according to the National Weather Service. As those in the country’s midsection dealt with stormy conditions this week, 18 died in collisions on slippery roads, leading to highway closing in Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Texas. Oklahoma was particularly hard hit with a record-breaking 14 inches of snow and the loss of power for thousands of homes on Christmas morning, leading the governor to declare a state of emergency. Some Midwest churches canceled Christmas Eve services, with one Iowa reverend saying, “I don’t think God wants anyone to get killed or break a hip or break a knee.”