Several major airlines have issued travel waivers ahead of the winter storm that could turn into a “bomb cyclone” over the Midwest in the days leading up to Christmas.
Chicago, which will likely bear the brunt of the extreme weather, could experience a blizzard, according to the National Weather Service of Chicago. (RELATED: Forecasters Say US Will Get Hit With Deep Freeze Around Christmas Time)
The Chicago-based United Airlines was offering customers four winter weather waivers as of Tuesday morning, CNN reported. Each of the waivers would cover the Midwest, Texas, the East Coast and Central and Northwest U.S.
JetBlue, American, Delta, Southwest and Alaska Airlines are also offering waivers for a number of specific flight paths and dates, the outlet continued.
Here’s the latest on the imminent holiday travel nightmare that is Winter Storm #Elliott: https://t.co/m1BSPUuD0Z
— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) December 20, 2022
The Weather Channel named the storm Winter Storm Elliot, and reported it could become a bomb cyclone over the Midwest. Beginning Thursday evening and potentially lasting into the holiday weekend, the storm may bring blizzard conditions, including extremely cold air and wind chills, to the Great Lakes region, according to a Twitter thread from the National Weather Service of Chicago.
The mercury drop means it will likely be the coldest Christmas since 1985 in some parts of the U.S., according to a CNN weather report. It may be so cold in some areas that exposed skin could experience frostbite in five minutes, the report continued. Chicago has a high forecast of 12 degrees Fahrenheit on Christmas Day, potentially making it the city’s most frigid Christmas since 1996.