Herald Staff and wire reports

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A massive winter storm blamed for 13 deaths in the Upper Midwest slid into the Northeast today barely touching North Carolina.

High wind warnings were posted for parts of the state. Gusts in the western mountain regions were expected to reach above 60 mph with only a trace of rain in the drought-stricken region.

Here in the Roanoke Valley, temperatures are expected to fall near freezing tonight and wind gusts today were predicted to top out at 40 mph.

Meanwhile, drivers in much of the Northeast navigated a treacherous mix of rain, sleet and snow today.

Schools canceled or delayed classes from New York to Maine as highways turned slippery and wind gusted to 40 mph in parts of the region.

The speed limit on part of the Massachusetts Turnpike was cut to 40 mph as police reported numerous traffic accidents around the state during the morning commute.

Most courts in Maine closed for the day and Gov. John Baldacci considered sending state workers home early. Communities around the state imposed parking bans for Monday and Tuesday to make way for snowplows.

“It's snowing so hard you can hardly keep your eyes open,” said Bill Swain, spokesman for Maine's Sugarloaf USA ski area in Carrabassett Valley.

The National Weather Service said a foot of snow was possible in the mountains of northern New England, with the potential for 20 inches in northern Maine and a foot in northern New York's central Adirondacks and Lake George region.

By Monday morning, 6 inches of snow had fallen at Springfield, Vt., and in parts of central New York state.

Ice storm warnings were issued for Massachusetts and Connecticut, and winter storm warnings were in effect in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and northern and western New York.

Air travel was disrupted Monday at the Portland International Jetport in Maine as flights were canceled because of poor conditions at connecting airports.

Hundreds of flights into the New York City area's three main airports - Kennedy, Newark Liberty and LaGuardia - were delayed as long as two hours Sunday because of wind and ice.

Hundreds of flights were canceled Saturday at Chicago's O'Hare. Lingering rain and poor visibility Sunday caused about 50 more cancellations and about 75 people had to spend the night at the airport, said Gregg Cunningham, a spokesman for Chicago's Department of Aviation.

Airliners slid off slippery pavement during the weekend at airports in Syracuse, N.Y.; Des Moines, Iowa, and Madison, Wis. No one was injured.

Minnesota's Grand Marais, on Lake Superior's North Shore, got 20 inches of snow Saturday, and the port city of Duluth marked a Dec. 1 record of 10.3 inches, according to the weather service. However, Grand Marais roads were already cleared Sunday, said Jane Shinners, owner of the downtown Harbor Inn.