Treetops glisten, but storm snarls Midwest holiday

OKLAHOMA CITY — A fierce Christmas storm has dumped snow and ice across the nation’s midsection, stranding many travelers on Christmas.

Some churches canceled Christmas Eve services, while others saw sharply lower attendance.

Slippery roads have been blamed for at least 18 deaths as the slow-moving storm traverses the country.

Meteorologists predict the storm will glaze highways in the East with ice through Christmas night and that gusty thunderstorms will hamper the South. An ice storm warning has been issued for parts of the North Carolina mountains, while a wind chill advisory warns of temperatures as low as 30 below zero in Montana.

Parts of at least 10 states are under blizzard warnings, including a line that stretches from North Dakota to Oklahoma.