Midwest Blizzard Kills 7

Seven people died across four states as a winter storm continued to tear through the Midwest, dumping more than a foot of snow on sections of Iowa and Wisconsin. A 25-car pileup in Iowa killed two people, and nearly 100 accidents were reported in the state by late last night. Kansas, Wisconsin, and Nebraska also suffered deaths, the AP reports. Weather warnings are in effect in 17 states spanning the lower 48, from Washington to Maine. But the National Weather Service says the Midwest storm should "finally begin to wind down" today; it's headed over the Great Lakes and into Canada.

Meanwhile, some 1,000 flights have been canceled—actually a lower number than in previous storms, USA Today notes. About 600 of those were at Chicago's two airports, which could affect travelers elsewhere. Some 20,000 people have lost power in Iowa, particularly around Des Moines, CNN reports. The storm did bring some good news for students at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, which saw 19 inches of snow: Yesterday's final exams were cancelled. (More snow stories.)