Chicago's Morning Rush Turned into a Snowy Nightmare as O'Hare Ground Stop and Hazardous Conditions Brought Flight Delays and Road Accidents.
A sudden blast of snow swept through the Chicago area on Wednesday morning, forcing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ground all flights at O'Hare International Airport for nearly two hours. The FAA's decision, which was made around 7:15 a.m., resulted in significant flight delays, with over 800 flights delayed at O'Hare and more than 60 at Midway Airport.
The National Weather Service warned of "pretty nasty" conditions as the snowfall moved through the area, with wind gusts reaching up to 40 miles per hour. This, combined with high winds, made for a treacherous morning commute. The Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation deployed salt spreaders at 4 a.m., but due to strong winds, the process was slow, leaving many residents stuck in traffic.
Twelve crashes were reported on expressways between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., with one of them resulting in injuries. As crews worked to clear main roads, they also began transitioning to residential streets later in the day. However, commuters are advised to exercise caution, especially if possible delays can be avoided.
According to meteorologist Brett Borchardt, the snowfall was intense but temporary, lasting only an hour or two in any location. "Take it slow," he cautioned. If waiting out the storm isn't feasible, drivers should prioritize their safety by slowing down and being aware of the conditions on the road.
As the city continues to clear the roads, residents will likely face a longer-than-usual morning commute. With over 800 flights delayed at O'Hare, air travelers will also be impacted for several hours.
A sudden blast of snow swept through the Chicago area on Wednesday morning, forcing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ground all flights at O'Hare International Airport for nearly two hours. The FAA's decision, which was made around 7:15 a.m., resulted in significant flight delays, with over 800 flights delayed at O'Hare and more than 60 at Midway Airport.
The National Weather Service warned of "pretty nasty" conditions as the snowfall moved through the area, with wind gusts reaching up to 40 miles per hour. This, combined with high winds, made for a treacherous morning commute. The Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation deployed salt spreaders at 4 a.m., but due to strong winds, the process was slow, leaving many residents stuck in traffic.
Twelve crashes were reported on expressways between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., with one of them resulting in injuries. As crews worked to clear main roads, they also began transitioning to residential streets later in the day. However, commuters are advised to exercise caution, especially if possible delays can be avoided.
According to meteorologist Brett Borchardt, the snowfall was intense but temporary, lasting only an hour or two in any location. "Take it slow," he cautioned. If waiting out the storm isn't feasible, drivers should prioritize their safety by slowing down and being aware of the conditions on the road.
As the city continues to clear the roads, residents will likely face a longer-than-usual morning commute. With over 800 flights delayed at O'Hare, air travelers will also be impacted for several hours.
It's like, a nice change of pace from the usual gloominess, and it makes everything feel fresh and new. But at the same time, I hate how it's causing so much chaos on the roads... 40 miles per hour wind gusts? That's just crazy! 
And what's up with the flights getting grounded for two hours? Can't they just, like, fly around it or something? 
And what's with the snowplows being so slow? Can't they just, like, make it faster? 
. at least it's not like they're expecting us to shovel our way out of this or anything 
seriously though, slow down and be careful if you gotta hit the roads today 
!
Flight delays and road accidents? That's just a recipe for disaster. And the FAA having to ground all flights at O'Hare? That's crazy talk! They must have been expecting that kind of weather.
. I was supposed to head to work on time, but my flight got cancelled 
️. I mean, I know it's not the airline's fault or anything, but still... 2 hours is a long time to sit around waiting for a flight that might never take off 
. And what's with the salt spreaders? Can't they deploy those things faster when it's windy? 
It's like, basic logistics 101.
. Take it slow, indeed! 
.
12 crashes in one morning?! 
that's just terrifying 
does anyone know what the status is on the flights? should we just assume theyre cancelled and plan accordingly?
.
, this is just too much of a coincidence... like they knew it was gonna snow so bad and then BAM! Ground stops the whole airport thing? Sounds like a deliberate attempt to mess with air travel schedules, ya know? And don't even get me started on the timing – 7:15 am, what are the chances that's when all these "accidents" happened? It's like someone wanted to create a massive traffic jam and flight delay situation. I'm not saying it wasn't just bad weather or whatever... but come on, can't we see the strings being pulled here? 
️
️. I'm just glad no one seriously hurt in those crashes 
. On the bright side, the FAA is keeping us grounded, so no chance of that crazy turbulence 
anywayz back to o'hare... with over 800 flights delayed, that's like, a whole lotta people stuck at the airport 
. And poor commutes ahead for all those stuck in traffic - hope the snow crews can get main roads cleared ASAP 
I'm not buying that it was just a "sudden blast" of snow 
... when did this happen? Wasn't there any warning? 7:15 am is pretty early to start the morning rush 
. I want some concrete data and stats before I start believing this is just a "pretty nasty" snow day 
. Wouldn't that be something?
what was up with all those flights gettin' grounded at O'Hare? 2 hours is a looong time to be stuck on the ground, especially when you got people missin' flights to work and school. 
stay safe, chicago! 
... and now there are all these road accidents happening