Traffic & Transit
1,200 Flights Canceled, Delayed: Snowstorm Brings 10-Hour Waits
Snow prompted the FAA to order a ground stop at O'Hare; meanwhile, hundreds of flights were cancelled and delayed at both Chicago airports.
CHICAGO, IL — A winter storm that could bring up to 5 inches of snow to the Chicago area has prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to order a ground stop at O'Hare International Airport — and that could cause arriving flights to be delayed nearly 10 hours, airport officials announced Friday night.
Meanwhile, more than 1,200 flights out of Chicago were delayed or cancelled as the snowstorm began.
5 Inches Of Snow Possible: Winter Weather Advisories Issued In IL
Find out what's happening in Chicagofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
O'Hare was reporting 683 flight cancellations and 330 delayed flights as of just after 8:30 p.m., and Midway had 170 cancellations and 35 flights delays.
It was unclear how long the FAA's ground stop would last at O'Hare.
Find out what's happening in Chicagofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Cars in the ditch. Vans in the ditch. SUVs in the ditch. Trucks in the ditch. 4x4 trucks in the ditch. Semis in the ditch. We repeat. 4x4 trucks in the ditch. #SllllllllllooooooooowwwDown#Brrrrr #StayHome
— IllinoisStatePolice (@ILStatePolice) January 18, 2020
Illinois State Police were reporting vehicles in ditches as the snow and ice created hazardous road conditions Friday night.
Snow will continue over much of northern IL and northwestern IN this eve. However, a gradual transition to a wintry mix is expected to occur from south to north later this eve. Area roads are snow covered, and this continues to result in hazardous travel. #ilwx #inwx pic.twitter.com/FRx9i6qn8F
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) January 18, 2020
A winter weather advisory is in effect until 6 a.m. Saturday for the Chicago area.
Meanwhile, a temperature drop could bring wind chills of -10 to -20 degrees across the area by late Saturday night to early Sunday morning.
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