UPDATE: Overnight snowfall has created dangerous road conditions across the Chicago area, prompting numerous school closures and delays. ABC7 meteorologists have issued an AccuWeather Alert for Monday, warning commuters of treacherous travel conditions during the morning rush.
As of early Monday, some regions experienced intense lake-effect snow, accumulating between 1 to 2 inches per hour, with totals exceeding 3 inches in certain areas. The National Weather Service reports that areas under a Winter Storm Warning could see between 3 to 6 inches of additional snowfall throughout the day.
Light snow showers are expected to persist into the afternoon, increasing the risks for drivers. The City of Chicago’s Department of Streets and Sanitation is deploying salt-spreader trucks to mitigate the hazardous conditions and is urging residents to exercise caution while driving.
In addition to road troubles, air travel has been severely impacted. Over 400 flights were canceled at Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway airports on Sunday, with significant delays reported. As of 4 a.m. Monday, O’Hare had 231 cancellations and average delays of 24 minutes, while Midway reported 130 cancellations with delays averaging 15 minutes.
The ongoing storm is compounded by a reduction in FAA operations, making travel into and out of Chicago particularly challenging.
Current Winter Storm Warnings are in effect for multiple counties:
– Starke, Marshall, LaPorte, St. Joseph, and Berrien counties until midnight Tuesday
– Lake and Porter counties in Indiana until 6 p.m. Monday
– Lake County in Illinois until 9 a.m. Monday
– Cook and Will counties until noon Monday
– Kankakee County until noon Monday
– DuPage and Will counties under a Winter Weather Advisory until noon Monday
– Newton and Jasper counties in Indiana from midnight to 6 p.m. Monday
As conditions continue to evolve, residents are advised to stay tuned for updates and plan their travel accordingly.
