Winter Storm Heads East

Gary Johnson of Mason City, Iowa, wears a face mask to protect from the blowing snow while clearing his sidewalk on Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009, after more than 11 inches of snow fell on the area overnight Tuesday.

Nebraska

An unidentified person uses a snow blower in Omaha, Neb., Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009. Wind gusts of 50 mph whipping the 10-plus inches of snow around in eastern Nebraska, as residents dig out from the storm. Overnight snowfall reports of 12 inches were common across the eastern half of Nebraska, with drifts up to 4 feet.

Nebraska

Trucks sit parked on a road waiting to get into a truck stop, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Iowa

Snow covers an interstate I-80 sign, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Illinois

Nicolas Deboer, of Freeport, Ill., shovels his driveway Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009, in Freeport, Ill., as heavy snow causes a branch to cover a neighbor's car.

Wisconsin

Isabel Stratton, 11, takes a snowball to the face from her brother Sam, 9, while making a snow angel in her backyard during a snow storm, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009, in Appleton, Wis.

Wisconsin

Angelika Szygula tries to control her umbrella from strong winds as she walks back to work at City Hall after lunch, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009, in Racine, Wis. Winds were reported gusting to 25 mph.

Wisconsin

Karalee Briggs walks her dogs Babe, left, and Boomer through the streets of Janesville, Wis., Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009. Briggs was walking in the road because some sidewalks were not cleared following the overnight storm that dropped more than a foot of snow on the city as it crossed much of the central plains.

Nebraska

Snow plows work on Interstate 80, west of Omaha, Neb., Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2009. Much of the Upper Midwest was covered in deep snow, and strong winds Tuesday night were expected to create blizzard conditions. The storm had already blanketed much of the mountain west and drenched Southern California with rain.

New York

A pedestrian stands on a snow-covered street during the area's first winter storm in Albany, N.Y., on Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009.

Iowa

A woman looks to cross a snow covered downtown intersection, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2009, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Iowa

A pedestrian makes her way across a snow covered downtown intersection, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2009, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Iowa

A pedestrian makes her way across a downtown skywalk as snow falls, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2009, in Des Moines, Iowa.

New York

Mike Koch, an employee of Hoaks Lakeshore Restaurant, carries a piece of plywood to cover windows at the establishment on the shores of Lake Erie in Hamburg, N.Y. Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2009. In Buffalo, N.Y., meteorologists expect the storm to dump 3 or more feet of snow between Wednesday and Saturday in the mainly rural snow belts east of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.

Nebraska

An unidentified man clears snow off his vehicle on the campus of the University of Nebraska-Omaha, in Omaha, Neb., Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2009, as a winter storm travels through the region.

Nebraska

Students brave the snow on the campus of the University of Nebraska-Omaha, in Omaha, Neb., Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2009, as a winter storm travels through the region.

Vermont

Charlie Gordon walks with his Samoyeds, Flurry and Misty, in a snowstorm in Montpelier, Vt., Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009. Gordon, a teacher, was helping his daughter deliver newspapers since he had the day off due to the winter weather.

Minnesota

John Bastyr uses a skid-loader to clear the lot at Sterling State Bank early Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009 as Austin, Minn. continues to fight with the blizzard conditions covering souther Minnesota.