Brutal Winter Storm, Whiteout Conditions Hits Southern California, Flights Delayed, Roads Closed

As a severe winter storm barrels through southern California, creating whiteout conditions in some areas, flights are delayed and roads are closed.

A severe winter storm with wind gusts reaching 80 mph was moving toward the interior of the country on Monday, threatening to batter a large portion of the country with feet of snow and wind gusts close to 80 mph.

Brutal Winter Storm, Whiteout Conditions

On Monday, severe weather warnings and watches were issued for almost 15 million people across more than a dozen states. Parts of Oregon, Nevada, Wyoming, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Colorado, and Nebraska were under blizzard or winter storm warnings.

A blizzard, according to the National Weather Service, is when there is snow blowing and/or falling and winds of at least 35 mph that cause visibility to be at least a quarter of a mile low for at least three hours.

The Northern Plains will experience a blizzard this week, according to a storm prediction from the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center. In some areas, there will probably be more than one foot of snowfall, which when combined with gusty winds will make travel nearly impossible. Significant icing is also possible.

The center warned that 2 feet of snow could fall in some areas of those states. The storm, which the Colorado weather service predicted would bring "whiteout conditions" and road closures, would hit late Monday and last through Tuesday.

After pummeling portions of Southern California with a minimum of 7 inches of rain and battering the mountains of the Golden State with up to 5 feet of snow, the storm turned its attention to the nation's heartland. More than 6,000 American flights were delayed on Sunday, and by noon on Monday, a much more manageable 1,700 flights were still running late.

Over a foot of snow, gusty winds, and blizzard conditions are anticipated in the northern Plains to begin this week before possibly dumping a significant amount of snow across a wider section of the Midwest, according to AccuWeather forecasters.

Violent Thunderstorms for the South Central US

AccuWeather warned that states that won't experience snow won't be safe either because severe thunderstorms may bring hail, winds as high as 80 mph, and even tornadoes. A "significant risk" to property and lives is anticipated to materialize in parts of Kansas, Oklahoma, and northern Texas late Monday and Tuesday.

The risky system could still target cities from Little Rock, Arkansas, and Springfield, Missouri, all the way down to New Orleans and Houston. The recent deadly tornado outbreak that occurred at the end of November hit some of the same towns and cities that are now at risk for severe thunderstorms, Yahoo News reports.

Renee Duff, an AccuWeather meteorologist, said that the ideal atmospheric conditions for an outbreak of severe weather will be created by the stark contrast between the warm, humid air before the storm and the dry, cold air after the storm.

Compensation for Delayed Flights

According to the US Department of Transportation, a consumer is entitled to a refund in the event of a schedule change or even a significant delay if the airline made a significant change in schedule and/or significantly delayed a flight and the consumer decides not to travel.

However, the definition of "significant delay" has not been outlined in detail by the DOT. The eligibility of a customer for a refund is based on a variety of variables. This includes the duration of the delay, the duration of the flight, as well as the specifics of the customer's situation. On a case-by-case basis, DOT decides whether the customer is qualified for a refund after a significant delay.