Over 200 flights canceled for Tuesday as US prepares for winter weather blast
The National Weather Service currently has winter weather warnings and advisories in effect for dozens of states
More than 200 flights across the nation have been canceled Tuesday as a major portion of the country braces for a winter storm system bringing rain, snow and strong winds.
Forecasters are warning that the winter storms in the Southwest and a region stretching from the Plains to the Northeast are projected to hinder travel conditions Tuesday after blankets of snow started to hit areas of the country Monday.
By 12:45 p.m. ET, 203 flights in, out and across the United States had been canceled, according to FlightAware, which tracks worldwide flight traffic in real-time. Meanwhile, about 532 flights have already been delayed, according to the data.
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Forecasters say heavy snow is likely across higher elevations of the Central Plains and Midwest through the end of today, while the northern Mid-Atlantic and Northeast will see smaller totals. Accumulating ice and freezing rain also will be possible in the Central Appalachians.
The National Weather Service (NWS) currently has winter weather warnings and advisories in effect for dozens of states.
WINTER STORM SYSTEM BRINGING RAIN, SNOW, STRONG WINDS FROM PLAINS TO THE NORTHEAST
"Multiple systems across the country are producing impactful precipitation and will continue to do so over the next few days," the NWS said in an advisory Tuesday morning.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also issued a separate notice saying that the storm may bring snow and ice to the Midwest and Northeast Tuesday and is urging travelers to check their flights ahead of time.
"Be sure to check your flight status with your airline before heading to the airport. Roads may be icy," the FAA said in a tweet.
The FAA's website indicates general airport conditions and it is not flight-specific, according to the agency. The FAA instead recommends checking with specific airlines to see if a flight has been affected by a storm.
American Airlines confirmed to FOX Business that they have only had a "handful" of cancellations within its regional operation and are "not seeing major delays as a result of the weather."
As a precaution, Delta issued a weather waiver for Midwestern U.S area airports ahead of forecasted storms, giving customers the ability to change travel plans within multiple affected cities Tuesday.
The NWS says at least 4 inches of snow is expected across most of an area stretching from central Kansas to Chicago and southern Michigan. But parts of southeast Nebraska and western Iowa got more than three times that much by Tuesday morning.
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In northern Illinois, the snowfall began around sunset Monday and by early Tuesday more than 3 inches was reported in certain areas. Meteorologist Bett Borchardt forecast snowfall up to 8 inches or more before it ends Tuesday evening.
Over the weekend, more than a foot of snow had already fallen in the mountains of Southern California.
The Associated Press and Fox News' Janice Dean contributed to this report.