On Friday morning in Chicago, a snowstorm hit the area causing thousands of power outages and leading to nearly a thousand flight cancellations.
By Friday morning, the western and southwestern suburbs of Chicago had received 4 to 7 inches of snow, while areas closer to the city had received 2 to 3.5 inches.
The National Weather Service (NWS) reported that with up to 2 inches of snow falling per hour and winds reaching 35 mph, the snow accumulation could reach 4 to 7 inches by noon. This is expected to be the most severe storm of the season.
The NWS predicted that snow would continue through Friday night into Saturday morning, with gusts reaching up to 45 mph and almost zero visibility.
Power outages have affected over 96,000 customers in the city, with 2,268 outages reported according to ComEd’s outage map.
Because of the weather, the Federal Aviation Administration issued ground stops for Chicago O’Hare International Airport, leading to over 700 cancelled flights. Additionally, 257 flights were cancelled at Midway International Airport.
Downtown Chicago saw five bus routes rerouted off the lakefront road due to the weather conditions. Amtrak has also cancelled multiple trains in and out of Chicago Union Station.
The Chicago Department of Family and Support Services has opened warming areas in the city’s six community service centers, urging residents to stay indoors as temperatures drop. The city also deployed 287 salt spreaders to clear snow and ice.
The NWS reported that a winter storm is affecting the U.S. Midwest and Great Lakes, with nearly 30 million people under a winter storm warning and over 3.5 million under a blizzard warning. Residents are advised to stay indoors and be cautious of worsening conditions and decreased visibility.
