1 day Ago By Richard M. Sullivan
Severe thunderstorms caused major disruptions to Chicago’s air traffic early Wednesday, leading to widespread delays and cancellations at O’Hare and Midway airports. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, O’Hare recorded over 900 flight delays and around 200 cancellations, while Midway saw 112 delays and 29 cancellations. As storms persisted, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) instituted a ground delay at O’Hare around 5:00 a.
m., expected to last most of the day.At O’Hare, flight wait times exceeded two hours due to weather-related delays.
Ground delays are used as control measures when air traffic volume surpasses an airport’s capacity under severe weather conditions. The FAA states these delays are typically implemented in response to adverse weather, as noted in the Sun-Times report.The storm’s impact extended beyond air travel, affecting power grids and roadways.
More than 1,500 ComEd customers in the Chicago area lost electricity, according to the Sun-Times. Illinois state police responded to multiple traffic incidents, including property damage crashes and injury collisions, while the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a flood advisory effective until late afternoon.Initially, meteorologists raised concerns about a possible tornado threat, but that risk later diminished.
"Mother Nature is starting to tip her hand and it's looking increasingly likely that we're not going to get the fuel needed for the tornado-potential type thunderstorms," meteorologist Gino Izzi said, as quoted by the Sun-Times. By evening, the storms were expected to weaken, giving way to cloudy and windy conditions, with temperatures settling in the mid-60s near Lake Michigan.Authorities urged commuters to exercise caution, enable wireless emergency alerts, and avoid driving through flooded roads.
"Otherwise, it’d probably be safest to ride [the storms] out until it passes through," meteorologist Jake Petr advised in a statement obtained by the Sun-Times. Travelers were encouraged to stay updated on flight changes via the National Airspace System Status website, as reported by FOX 32 Chicago..
