Chicago Flights Cancelled Over Snow

Winter has returned, and it’s not holding back at all. Chicago was slammed with a snowstorm on Thursday morning that has disrupted flights and road travel for the city and surrounding areas. The Chicago metro area was forecast to get up to eight inches of snow in just 24 hours, and the city deployed some 184 snow plows to clear the roads.

The Chicago Department of Aviation reported by the afternoon that there had already been a substantial number of flight delays and cancellations at the city’s two airports – O’Hare International and Midway International. The organisation said in a release that airlines were proactively cancelling over 325 flights in and out of O’Hare International by around 11am. Delays were being reported for flights to and from the East Coast, with an average 20-minute delay.

The release also said that, at Midway International, Southwest Airlines proactively cancelled all services between 1pm and 6pm. This is about 100 flights and 25% of the total services scheduled at the airport for the day. More flights were cancelled by other airlines as well. Travellers were being advised to check with their carrier online or over the phone to confirm the status of their service. These cancellations accumulate to more than 425 between the two airports.

The city’s Department of Streets & Sanitation said in a release that 184 plows hit the roads Thursday morning, while the city has engaged its new “Plow Tracker” online app for the first time. The app allows residents to see where the snow plows are in real time and is part of a new website focused solely on snow. Motorists have been advised to relax if they are on the roads, avoid braking suddenly and to remain cautious.

Illinois Transportation Secretary Ann Schneider says that they want drivers to be aware of winter road conditions, and they urge them to slow down, put on their seat belts and cooperate with the snow plows. Winter crews are ready to clear state roads as needed, but motorists should also take the steps necessary to ensure their personal safety.

National Weather Service meteorologist Ed Fenelon said that the worst part of the storm was due to hit in the afternoon and through the evening, bringing gusts of up to 35mph and wind chills down to zero. In the meantime, the snow was due to taper off by the night, but the weekend will continue to be very cold with temperatures down to the single digits. Until 4am this morning, a winter weather advisory was in effect for all counties in the area.

Fenelon added that the system would be a shock, as the weather recently has been like it’s March or November. The January weather is coming like a punch, as the city has usually had about 13 inches of snow by this time of winter. They have only had about 1.9 inches in the Chicago area through January 10, which had the season set to be one of the least-snowy ever until now, he added.