Snowstorm strikes US Midwest on way to east coast

A snowstorm that has dumped up to 12 inches (30cm) on parts the US Midwest and cancelled 1,100 flights is now making its way to mid-Atlantic states.

Schools were closed in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois, where officials urged caution on slick roads.

Chicago's O'Hare airport had already seen six inches of snow as of mid-afternoon and heavier accumulation was reported in Minnesota and Iowa.

Washington DC is expected to see 3-8 inches of snow, weather officials said.

Nearby mountains in western Maryland expect as much as 16 inches.

In western Wisconsin, an articulated lorry slid off a snow-covered highway and into the Red Cedar River, killing one person. A search for a second person, believed to be a passenger, was suspended overnight.