URGENT UPDATE: Overnight snowfall is creating dangerous driving conditions across the Chicago area, prompting numerous school closures and delayed starts this morning. As of Monday, 4 a.m., the weather has already led to the cancellation of over 400 flights at local airports, with extensive delays impacting travelers trying to navigate the storm.
ABC7 meteorologists have issued an AccuWeather Alert for Monday, warning of hazardous travel conditions for the morning commute. Areas affected by intense lake-effect snow are experiencing 1 to 2 inches of snowfall per hour, with some locations already recording more than 3 inches of accumulation. Light snow showers may persist throughout Monday afternoon.
The City of Chicago’s Department of Streets and Sanitation is actively deploying salt-spreader trucks to address the severe winter weather on the roads. Residents are urged to exercise caution while driving, as numerous regions are under a Winter Storm Warning or Winter Weather Advisory.
Specifically, a Winter Storm Warning is in effect for several counties:
– Cook and Will Counties until noon today
– Kankakee County until noon today
– Lake County until 9 a.m. today
– Indiana’s Lake and Porter Counties until 6 p.m. today
– Starke, Marshall, LaPorte, St. Joseph, and Berrien Counties until midnight Tuesday
Travelers at O’Hare International Airport are facing significant disruptions, with 231 cancellations and average delays of 24 minutes. Meanwhile, Midway International Airport has reported 130 cancellations and an average delay of 15 minutes.
As the storm progresses, authorities are closely monitoring the situation and will continue to provide updates as necessary. Stay tuned for further developments regarding this severe winter weather event impacting the Chicago area.
