2 killed as storm heads Northeast for a second round of pounding in a week

Story highlights
2 killed in weather-related road accidents in Nebraska
Chicago Public Schools cancel classes for Monday

Northeast braces for another round of winter weather

A deadly storm that buried the Midwest in snow is marching east.

Millions will wake up Monday to sleet and blizzard conditions in the Northeast -- the second round of winter weather pounding in a week.

The storm buried the Midwest in snow and put more than 9 million people in the Chicago area under a blizzard warning Sunday.

Flights were canceled, schools closed and traffic snarled in the region.

And as it moves east, metropolitan areas such as New York City and Boston will be coated in ice.




"We would expect a lot of icing on our roads and sidewalks -- up to a quarter inch of ice in some places, and a lot of that would happen in the early morning hours," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio warned.

His Chicago counterpart echoed the same sentiment.

"In this 24 hour cycle, we're getting the same amount of snow we got in all of January," Mayor Rahm Emanuel said.

Up to a foot of snow was forecast in parts of Iowa, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin.

In Nebraska, two people died in car accidents as a result of slippery roads Sunday. The deaths occurred in Saunders and Lancaster counties, authorities said.

Save us, Phil!

As the Northeast suffers from yet more snow, there's added pressure on a certain furry prognosticator this year.

Groundhog Day falls on Monday. The annual American tradition occurs on February 2 and features Punxsutawney Phil, a Pennsylvania groundhog whose shadow apparently predicts the length of winter.

Legend has it that if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, there'll be six more weeks of winter weather. If he doesn't, there will be an early spring.

Nan Moore, who's visiting Punxsutawney to witness the prediction, is not placing her hopes on a ball of fur.

"He's going to see his shadow," she said. "We're going to get more winter."

Travel headaches

Airlines did not wait for a groundhog's prediction to plan ahead. Most canceled more than 2,200 flights for Monday, according to Flightaware.com.

United, Delta, American, Virgin America, U.S. Airways, Southwest, Spirit and JetBlue all issued waivers that allow travelers to change flights without a penalty.

The headache started over the weekend for air travelers, with thousands of flights canceled Sunday, many of them in and out of Chicago.

Trains may be affected, too

In preparation for the storm, Amtrak said it plans to adjust its schedule based on the conditions.

"With extreme conditions expected in some areas during the next 24 to 36 hours, crews are actively monitoring the latest forecasts and planning for the possibility that service adjustments may be necessary," it said in a statement Sunday.

Changes may include to Acela Express and Northeast Regional services, it said. It urged Monday travelers to monitor the schedules.

" We will re-evaluate service as conditions warrant," it said.
Snow day

Chicago, which has canceled public schools Monday, could get as much as 15 inches of snow, CNN meteorologist Michael Guy said.

Boston, Detroit and Omaha joined the call to close public schools, with the latter canceling after-school activities as well.

Boston will "get another round of wintery weather with new snow accumulations from 10 to 12 inches," Guy said.

Other public schools, including in the Ohio cities of Akron, Toledo and Cleveland, will be closed.

New York City public schools will remain open.


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Are you in the midst of (or readying for) the big snowstorm? Let us know with#cnnsnow


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