Blizzards, ice storms wreak havoc in US

A winter storm crossing the northern Great Plains in the US has forced flights to be cancelled, closed roads and caused widespread power cuts.

A winter storm crossing the northern Great Plains in the US has forced flights to be cancelled. (AAP)

Travel conditions have remained hazardous as a winter storm swept across much of the northern Great Plains in the US, with blowing and drifting snow forcing the closure of an airport and creating near-zero visibility on some roads.

The combination of freezing rain, snow and high winds that forced the shutdown on Sunday of vast stretches of highways in the Dakotas continued into Monday, and authorities issued no-travel warnings for much of North Dakota.

The National Weather Service in Bismarck, North Dakota, said a blizzard warning would remain in effect for most of the state into Monday afternoon or early evening.

Severe whiteout conditions led to the closure of Minot International Airport, and the facility wasn't expected to reopen until early on Tuesday. The airports serving Fargo and Bismarck also list flight cancellations on their websites.

"Between the ice and snow, and winds howling like crazy, there will be nothing moving" until late afternoon Monday, said National Weather Service meteorologist Greg Gust in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

"Then it's dig-out time."

Gust's advice to travellers: "Stay put."

The storm also has caused widespread power outages in the Dakotas, Nebraska and western Iowa and also forced the closure of highways.

No-travel advisories were issued for much of North Dakota.