Over 300 flights canceled; city sends out 280 plows
Wintry weather caused delays and more than 300 canceled flights at Chicago’s two main airports.
The city Department of Aviation said Sunday that snow and ice at O’Hare Airport prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to cancel 270 flights by Sunday evening. Another 60 flights were grounded at Midway International Airport.
The FAA reported average flight delays at O’Hare of around 90 minutes. Delays were about 15 minutes at Midway, the FAA said.
Snowflakes began falling in downtown Chicago about noon as the temperature hovered around 18 degrees. Up to 2 inches of snow were expected to accumulate by the time the snowfall stops Monday morning, according to the National Weather Service.
The city sent out 280 snow plows to clear the main routes and Lake Shore Drive, according to a statement from the city’s Department of Streets and Sanitations. The plows will focus on salting and clearing main streets during the snowfall. Once the snow stops, the plows will begin clearing residential streets.
Residents who have insufficient heat in their homes or need shelter can call 311 for help.
Monday was expected to be mostly cloudy with a high in the mid- 30s, according to the weather service. On Tuesday, there is a chance of snow and a high also in the mid- 30s.
But the snow won’t be sticking around long — temperatures could surpass 50 degrees on Friday and Saturday, according to the weather service.