Winter storms at both ends of the US dumped snow and snarled air and land travel, killing at least 10 people, blocking major highways and even stranding 400 train passengers in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest.

Nearly 19cm of snow was reported at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport before the front moved out of the area on Friday. About 500 flights were cancelled at O'Hare, which cancelled 600 flights on Thursday and housed hundreds of stranded travellers who spent the night awaiting planes from other cities also affected by the storm.

At least 30cm of snow was reported in Springfield by Friday morning, said National Weather Service meteorologist Gino Izzi. Other parts of Illinois saw similar amounts.

"If you don't have to be out here, don't," Ty Wilson, a very wet Chicago bicycle messenger, said as he stopped along a slushy street between morning deliveries.

The storm brought snow, freezing rain and sleet to the north-east, where arriving flights at Newark Liberty Airport were delayed as long as three hours on Friday afternoon. Arrivals were delayed by two-and-a-half hours at La Guardia Airport, two hours at Philadelphia International and an-hour-and-a-half at New York's Kennedy, according to the Federal Aviation Administration's website.

At least four people died on Friday on ice-slicked New York state roads. Six people died on Illinois roads in the past two days.

Another storm system made roads impassible in parts of the Pacific Northwest. In Washington state, a 110km stretch of Interstate 90 remained closed because of the avalanche danger at the Snoqualmie Pass in the Cascade Range.

More than 150 people remained on board a train stuck in the Northern California mountains near the Donner Pass on Friday after a snow plough fell through the tracks and blocked its path, officials said.

Two Amtrak trains with about 400 passengers were initially stranded after the accident on Friday afternoon. One train was pulled to Reno, Nevada, and its 165 passengers were put up in a hotel, Amtrak spokeswoman Karina Romero said.

The other train, which was headed from Emeryville to Chicago, was still in the mountains. About 60 passengers were taken by bus back to the San Francisco Bay area overnight, while 155 stayed on the train to wait for the line to reopen, Romero said.

The train had heating and lights and passengers were given food, Romero said. No injuries were reported.