A massive storm billed as the worst in decades barrelled northeast through US states on Wednesday, leaving vast swaths from Chicago to New York paralysed by snow and ice.

Hundreds of motorists were stranded overnight, and airports and schools were forced to close.

The 20.2 inches of snow that fell by midday in Chicago made the storm the city's third-largest on record, with still more coming down.

Chicago closed its public schools for the first time in 12 years and shut down Lake Shore Drive, where hundreds of motorists were stranded for 12 hours after multiple car accidents on the iconic roadway.

On Wednesday morning, Lake Shore Drive looked like rush hour had been stopped in time. Three lanes of cars cluttered the road with snow reaching as high as the windshields.

Bulldozers worked to clear the snow from around the cars before tow trucks plucked them out of snow drifts one by one. The operation likely would take hours: At least 1,500 cars awaited rescue.

Flight cancellations topped 5,000 for the second day on Wednesday as ice and snow continued to bring airport operations to a crawl across much of the US, affecting travellers in cities that do not even have snow. On Tuesday, nearly 7,000 flights were cancelled.