CHICAGO (STMW) – The latest round of severe winter weather in Chicago was causing problems at the city’s airports Sunday, before temperatures are expected to nosedive overnight into Monday.
More than 250 flights had been proactively cancelled at O’Hare International Airport as of 3:30 p.m. on Sunday due to snowy conditions, according to the city’s Department of Aviation. At least 90 flights have been cancelled at Midway Airport, where about other flights were delayed by 20 minutes or more.
Before snowfall stops around noon today, between 2 and 5 inches will have fallen across most Chicago area counties, according to the National Weather Service.
The Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation deployed its full fleet of 280 snow plows and salt spreaders this morning to clean up main routes in the city, according to department spokeswoman Molly Poppe.
Wind gusts of up to 40 mph this evening could make for “near-blizzard conditions” at times, the weather service said.
After Sunday, temperatures are not expected to reach positive values until Wednesday. The forecasted high is 0 degrees for both Monday and Tuesday.
A wind chill advisory goes into effect at 3 a.m. Monday and lasts until Wednesday morning, with wind chill values plummetting as low as 45 degrees below zero.
Chicago Public Schools will be closed on Monday due to the cold.
“The safety and well-being of our students is paramount,” said CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett in a press release. “The decision to close schools is never easy. However, based on the severity of the weather we are expecting Monday, I am confident that this decision is in the best interest of CPS students.”
On Friday, Metra was already warning commuters of likely delays starting Monday due to the frigid temperatures, according to a service alert posted on the transit agency’s website.
“We will make every reasonable effort to provide a timely and comfortable commute. However, trains are likely to be delayed,” the alert said.
Amtrak released a modified schedule for Monday in response to the expected cold weather.
The following trains will not be running on Monday: Lincoln Service trains No. 300, 301, 306 and 307; Hiawatha Service trains No. 329, 332, 333, 336, 337 and 340; Wolverine Service trains No. 350 and 355; Illinois Zephyr Service trains No. 382 and 383; and finally, the Saluki & Illini trains No. 392 and 393, according to a release from Amtrak.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2014. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
