Snowstorm December 2012: Storm Makes Its Way East, Blanketing the Region In Snow and Affecting Holiday Travel (Map)

A Midwestern storm, which began earlier this week, continued to blanket several states as it made its way eastward. The storm is now plaguing the Northeast through heavy winds and rain that have affected holiday travels in several airports.

Throughout the United States, over 700 flights have been canceled and more than 10,300 have been delayed, FlightStats.com reported. A majority of the flights canceled and delayed have occurred in storm-affected airports in Chicago, New York, Newark, Boston, Detroit and Philadelphia.

According to FlightAware.com, Newark Airport in New Jersey is experiencing 1 hour, 51 minute delays, while New York's La Guardia is experiencing 1 hour, 47 minute delays.

On Thursday, as the Midwest was hit with the brunt of the storm, over 1,000 flights were canceled due to snow. The storm, which affected around eight states in the Midwest, dumped nearly 20 inches of snow, led to seven deaths and caused tornadoes in Arkansas and Alabama.

The wintery storm also left thousands of homes and business without power in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, New Jersey and New York, NBC News reported. According to the report, outages from Thursday continued in Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska and Texas.

Weather.com, which has dubbed the winter storm Draco, reported that the storm will bring "both strong, gusty winds and lake-enhanced snow through Saturday."

Winds are expected to reach between 40 and 50 mph in parts of New York, Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic. According to Weather.com, the Great Lakes snowbelts and Appalachians will see snowfall totals of over 1 foot.

Driving conditions between these states may be unsafe, Weather.com warned, with "sudden reductions in visibility possible in the heaviest, lake snow bands." The storm has already caused several traffic accidents, including a 30-car pileup in Iowa that resulted in two deaths and seven injured. According to NBC News, the storm was also responsible for two deaths each in Wisconsin and Nebraska and one in Kansas. An Ohio woman whose car got stuck in the snow also reportedly died when she went out walking to get help.

The storm is expected to calm down on Sunday, Weather.com reported.