Snow sweeps through Chicago area, grounding flights and crippling commutes. A winter storm brought hazardous road conditions and severe snowfall to the region, forcing a ground stop at O'Hare International Airport and wreaking havoc on morning rush hour travel.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, flight delays averaged around 45 minutes as a result of the snow and ice that caused a ground stop from 7:15am until 8:45am. More than 800 flights were delayed at O'Hare, with over 64 flights grounded at Midway Airport.
The storm's impact was also felt on expressways, where state troopers responded to 12 crashes, one of which involved injuries. The Department of Streets and Sanitation deployed salt spreaders at 4am but struggled to keep pace with the snowfall, leading to a slow morning commute.
As winds howled at 40 miles per hour and visibility was reduced by an inch of snow, Chicago police officials did not release exact numbers on weather-related calls. Meteorologist Brett Borchardt warned that while the storm would pass relatively quickly – "an hour or two at most in any location" – it could be "pretty nasty" during its duration.
For commuters who couldn't delay their journeys, Borchardt advised taking it slow and cautious. "If you're able to wait it out, that's the way to handle it," he said.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, flight delays averaged around 45 minutes as a result of the snow and ice that caused a ground stop from 7:15am until 8:45am. More than 800 flights were delayed at O'Hare, with over 64 flights grounded at Midway Airport.
The storm's impact was also felt on expressways, where state troopers responded to 12 crashes, one of which involved injuries. The Department of Streets and Sanitation deployed salt spreaders at 4am but struggled to keep pace with the snowfall, leading to a slow morning commute.
As winds howled at 40 miles per hour and visibility was reduced by an inch of snow, Chicago police officials did not release exact numbers on weather-related calls. Meteorologist Brett Borchardt warned that while the storm would pass relatively quickly – "an hour or two at most in any location" – it could be "pretty nasty" during its duration.
For commuters who couldn't delay their journeys, Borchardt advised taking it slow and cautious. "If you're able to wait it out, that's the way to handle it," he said.
. Like, who needs an app to tell you how much snow is falling at your exact location? It's not like it's going to make a difference if you're already stuck in traffic 
. And don't even get me started on the whole "delayed flights" thing - 45 minutes or whatever, big deal 
. You think that's going to make a huge difference when you're sitting at home waiting for hours for your flight to be rescheduled? No thanks 
. I swear, the more we rely on technology to solve our problems, the more it just causes us more stress and frustration 
. Can't we just enjoy the snow without all the bells and whistles for once? 
800+ flights delayed at O'Hare? That's crazy! Interesting how they had a ground stop for like an hour but still got slammed with delays afterwards. The commutes are really tough too, poor people stuck on the roads. Maybe they should've salted more areas sooner, now it's a whole mess. Winds are wicked strong, hope nobody got hurt in those crashes 
also, 12 crashes in one day? that's scary 
. hope everyone stayed safe out there! 
! i mean i get it chicago its winter and all but cant they prep for it like 1 wk in advance? its not like its a surprise snow day lol idk wut the deal is with o'hare airport tho 45 min delays?? that sucks so bad 800+ flights delayed?? 
and expressways getting slammed w/ 12 crashes?? poor ppl stuck on roads w/ visibility of an inch 
idk bout ur state troopers but they prob need a raise lol 
anywayz i feel 4 all u chicagoans stuck in this winter wonderland 
just take it slow & easy and maybe u'll make it thru the day 
️ instead. Can you imagine having to navigate those expressways with 40mph winds and visibility reduced by an inch of snow? No thanks! 
The FAA's ground stop at O'Hare is a good idea, but it's not like they can just magic away all the delayed flights. I'm sure many people are getting frustrated with all these cancellations 
. And poor Midway Airport, over 64 flights grounded? That's just a total bummer 
.