SCHOOLS SHUT, FLIGHTS CANCELED AS STORM SWEEPS U.S. MIDWEST, EAST COAST

The National Weather Service issued a storm warning for Minnesota, South Dakota and western Wisconsin, with forecasters predicting up to 9 inches of snow. Freezing rain, downed branches, and power outages forced the closing of public schools and federal agencies in Washington, while hundreds of flights were delayed or canceled in Washington, Philadelphia and Chicago, according to Flightaware.com. The Twin Cities are in for the snowiest February on record, having received 22.6 inches this month alone. Wednesday’s snowfall will likely break the February record of 26.5 inches, set back in 1962.