Deadly winter storm hitting millions of Americans

At least 10 people have died in weather-related crashes in Nebraska, Missouri and Kansas amid a storm that dumped nearly a foot of snow in places, forced schools to close their doors and snarled traffic, authorities said. The wintry weather was part of a storm system that hit parts of the Midwest and was expected to extend into the Northeast through Tuesday, the National Weather Service said.

In Nebraska, five people died in two separate crashes on Interstate 80 on Sunday. In some cases, roads were closed for hours.

Greenwood Fire Chief Mark Sobota told CBS affiliate KMTV he believes weather was likely to blame. “It’s definitely going to be weather-related, slick surfaces,” Sobota told the station.

In Missouri, the storm dumped from 3 to 9 inches of snow across a large swath of the state. Much of Missouri was under either a winter weather advisory or winter storm warning Monday.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol said three people were killed Sunday night when a driver lost control and overturned on U.S. 67 in St. Francois County in the eastern part of the state. A motorist who was stranded after a previous crash and two Good Samaritans who were trying to help were struck.

And in mid-Missouri’s Callaway County, an 18-year-old was killed when his vehicle went off the side of Missouri 94 and overturned. The patrol also said in a tweet Monday morning that it had responded to over 660 calls from stranded motorists and to 685 other traffic crashes.

Midwest hit with snow as storm heads east

The University of Missouri was starting classes late Monday because of the storm. In Kansas, the storm brought up to 11 inches of snow.

The Kansas Department of Transportation said multiple roads are partially or completely snow covered. A 21-year-old man died Sunday when a pickup truck in which he was riding overturned on an icy Wichita road.

In Utah, a snowboarder died after an avalanche in the backcountry. Authorities are now warning of a high early-season avalanche danger following the first fatality of season.

In Illinois, heavy snow caused a car to slide onto railroad tracks, where it was hit by a freight train. The driver somehow walked away with no major injuries.

The storm is heading east. Moderate to heavy snow could fall from St. Louis to Indianapolis on Monday, CBS News climate and weather contributor Jeff Berardelli reports.

On Monday night, snow could move into New York City and Scranton, Pennsylvania, but it would be quickly be followed by rain as milder air moves in. On Tuesday morning, snow was expected in Boston, Scranton and Albany, New York.