Central US walloped by blizzard conditions, closing highways, schools and government offices ( www.independent.co.uk )

A sprawling storm that pelted much of the nation’s midsection under more than a half a foot of snow created whiteout conditions in several cities and closed schools and public offices as officials warned motorists to stay home

A sprawling storm that pelted much of the nation's midsection with more than a half a foot of snow and gusty winds created whiteout conditions that closed parts of two interstate highways and prompted officials to close schools and government offices in several states Tuesday.

Up to 12 inches (20 to 30 centimeters) of snow could blanket a broad area stretching from southeastern Colorado all the way to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, including western Kansas, eastern Nebraska, large parts of Iowa, northern Missouri and northwestern Illinois, said Bob Oravec, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland.