President Signs Indiana Flood Relief Measure

President Bush declared flood-stricken central Indiana a disaster area Saturday, but the soggy area was pretty much spared the snow and ice brought to the Midwest by a wintry storm threatening travel by land and air.

Rain moistened a parched part of the West, and snow fell in the plains and Rocky Mountains.

Bush signed a disaster declaration that triggers release of federal aid for residents and businesses suffering particularly serious damage from a week of storm-fed floods in six Indiana counties, White House spokesman Bill Harlow said.

But precipitation was very light in central Indiana by mid-Saturday, with freezing drizzle reported in Indianapolis, the National Weather Service said.

Rivers were receding in most of the swamped areas of Illinois and Indiana, but parts of the Ohio, Mississippi and Wabash rivers remained over their banks. Residents of Gibson County, Ind., were told to consider evacuating their homes because of rising waters in the Wabash.

The Wabash, which runs between Indiana and Illinois, was not expected to crest in places until Wednesday and was rushing along at more than 10 feet above flood stage in several towns.

The flooded Ohio River was receding, as was the swollen Mississippi River.

Snow in northern Illinois and freezing rain in the southern half of the state made travel treacherous and gave residents good reason to stay home for the weekend.

In Chicago, spokeswoman Lisa Howard said O’Hare International Airport had received two inches of snow by midday. Runways were open, but air travelers were told to expect delays ranging from 45 minutes to 90 minutes.

Officials reported many accidents but no serious injuries, and no roads were closed.

Before hitting Illinois, the wintry storm dumped ice and snow on the plains.

About three inches of snow was recorded in Omaha, and two inches fell in Iowa, while freezing rain covered roads in Missouri with a sheet of ice.

Morning temperatures in South Dakota were as low as 10 degrees below zero, and winds pushing 12 m.p.h. sent windchill readings down as low as 28 below.