4 days Ago By Damon R. Sheffield
Weather-induced disruptions had travelers feeling the turbulence on the ground at Chicago's O'Hare and Midway Airports, where over 150 flights were delayed due to ongoing storms. The Federal Aviation Administration imposed ground stops early Friday morning, which were later lifted, only for O'Hare to experience another brief halt shortly after. According to FOX 32 Chicago, the second ground stop at O'Hare went into effect at 8:13 a.
m. and lasted until 9:30 a.m.
, adding further delays to the day's flight schedule.As the morning unfolded, FlightAware data revealed a cascade of delays, over 130 at O'Hare and more than 30 at Midway, amid reports of pea-sized hail and precipitation that laid a wet blanket over the city's commute. There were only two cancellations, with most delays under 20 minutes, FOX 32 Chicago reported.
Reflecting on the weather's impact on road safety, David King, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, advised Chicago Sun-Times readers, "Anytime that it’s raining, you just want to go a little bit slower and allow extra room between you and the car in front of you."Though Friday's high anticipated in the low 70s fell short of record temperatures, it coupled with the stormy conditions to disrupt normal patterns of travel and life. Looking forward, the unsettled weather seemed poised to hang around with the National Weather Service forecasting a 30 to 40 percent chance for rain on Saturday and the potential for even more severe storms come Sunday.
"We can have all severe threats possible, whether it’s hail, damaging winds, or even some tornadoes," King told Chicago Sun-Times.The skies above Chicago's airports threw a wrench into the gears of air travel, with passengers experiencing the ripple effects of mother nature's springtime mood swings. Those impacted by the delays, eager to set foot on their destinations, are recommended to seek the latest information from the National Airspace System Status website.
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