Kansas City airport reopens

updated 4:29 p.m. ET Feb. 17, 2008

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Heavy snow and slush closed the Kansas City International Airport on Sunday for almost six hours, the longest closure in its 35-year history, authorities said. Dozens of flights were canceled.

The airport has closed only a few times and never for more than four hours, airport spokesman Joe McBride said.

The runways were closed around 6:30 a.m. when friction testing showed conditions were too slick to safely operate planes.

"A 150 mph aircraft hydroplaning is not a good thing," McBride said.

The airport, which has 440 flights a day, had 4 inches of snow by midmorning.

Storms also brought heavy snow and rain to much of the Upper Midwest.

In Wisconsin, a quarter inch of ice was reported on some major highways and a blizzard warning was issued for seven counties. Flood watches and winter storm warnings were also in effect. Six to 12 inches of snow was expected in southern and central Wisconsin.

A blizzard warning was issued for much of central Iowa, and up to 8 inches of snow was expected in the northeast part of the state.

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