Blizzard hits Midwest

An Amish boy plays in snow outside a one-room schoolhouse in Kingston, Wis. (Jeffrey Phelps / EPA)

Dec. 20, 2012 1:23 PM PT

Fierce winds and snow descended on the Midwest on Thursday, part of a weather system that has killed at least three and is setting the stage for miserable commuting and holiday travel through the heart of the nation.

A car sits covered in snow and fallen tree branches in Des Moines. (Charlie Neibergall / Associated Press)

A resident clears snow from his driveway after an overnight snowfall left many schools and businesses closed for the day in Urbandale, Iowa. (Charlie Neibergall / Associated Press)