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Winter storm weakens but thousands still without power

Dec 26, 2016 | 11:00 PM

CHICAGO — The furious winter storm that swept into the northern Great Plains on Christmas Day weakened Tuesday, but thousands remained without power in the Dakotas and Michigan.

High winds and drifting snow continued to make travel hazardous in the Dakotas, even as vast stretches of highways that had been closed reopened to traffic. The no-travel warnings issued Christmas Day for much of North Dakota had largely expired by Tuesday, although the National Weather Service warned that drifting snow still blocked some roads.

Interstate 94, which had been closed for days in North Dakota, reopened Tuesday, as did Interstate 90 in South Dakota.

The Minot International Airport, which was closed Monday due to whiteout conditions, reopened Tuesday and was expecting its first flights — incoming and outgoing — late morning.