CHICAGO (STMW) — At least 480 flights were canceled at the city’s two airports Saturday, as snow falling at a rate of one inch per hour hit parts of the Chicago area.
By noon, O’Hare International Airport reported 3.3 inches of snow and by 3:15 p.m., Midway had received 2.9 inches, said National Weather Service meteorologist Jamie Enderlen.
As of 3:30 p.m. Saturday, airlines at O’Hare had canceled 375 flights due to winter weather conditions and were experiencing delays of at least 30 minutes, the city’s Department of Aviation said. Midway was experiencing similar delays and at least 105 flights had been canceled at that airport.
The heaviest snowfall hit the south suburbs and areas in northwest Indiana, Enderlen said. By 2:45 p.m., southwest suburban Tinley Park had received 5 inches of snow, while areas in Will County got 7.5 inches and areas in Lake County, Ind., got 8 inches of snow.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for Cook, DuPage, Will, McHenry and Lake counties in Illinois, and Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Jasper and Newton counties in Indiana, in effect from until 6 p.m. Saturday.
Snowfall was expected to taper off by Saturday evening as the storm traveled southeast, and temperatures were not forecasted to dip below 5 degrees, meteorologists said. Warmer temperatures are a result of air pushed up from the Gulf of Mexico.
Illinois State Police cautioned drivers in the Chicago area that whiteout conditions were possible Saturday. Drivers were asked to be aware of black ice and carry emergency supplies in their vehicles.
The Illinois Tollway deployed its full fleet of 182 snow plows and salt spreaders to clear roadways on its 286-mile system, the agency reported.
The city’s department of Streets and Sanitation also deployed its entire fleet of more than 280 plows and salt spreaders to main streets and Lake Shore Drive Friday night, according to department spokeswoman Mary Poppe. The fleet will focus on arterial streets at first and will be deployed to side and residential streets once the snow has stopped and main streets are clear.
It’s not all bad, though, Enderlen said. Sunday is expected to be dry, with temperatures in the teens.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2014. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
