On Friday, December 20, local time, Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport issued a brief flight suspension order due to snowfall and ice, leading to slippery roads and icy conditions in the Chicago area with snow accumulation. Multiple accidents and vehicle skidding incidents have been reported.
According to NBC Chicago, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued the flight suspension order at 6 am. By 7:30 am, the suspension order was replaced with ground delay procedures. Photos and videos from the airport showed crowded security and boarding lines, resulting in delays of up to 40 minutes.
Reports cited the Chicago Department of Aviation, stating that from December 20 to January 2, it is expected that over 3 million people will travel through Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway airports. Nationally, the Transportation Security Administration anticipates 40 million passengers passing through airports during the holiday period.
The Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications warned of the possibility of black ice on the streets. They posted on social media platform X, advising, “Roads are slippery this morning. Watch out for black ice and allow extra time to reach your destination.”
The Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation announced the deployment of salt trucks to address the snowfall. Residents were advised to exercise caution during their morning commutes, allocate more time for travel, adjust driving speeds according to road conditions, and maintain a safe distance from other vehicles.
The National Weather Service (NWS) stated that snow in Will County, Kankakee County, and northwestern Indiana continued on Friday, causing reduced visibility.
Winter weather advisories will persist until Friday noon in Kenosha County and Racine County north of the Wisconsin state border, with a possibility of 1 to 2 inches of snow.
Snowfall in most parts of northern Illinois is expected to end around 10 am. However, around 2 pm, lake-effect snow will affect parts of Lake County, Cook County, and Will County, moving eastward thereafter.
On Friday night, snowfall will continue in northwestern Indiana, with Valparaiso and surrounding areas potentially receiving an additional two inches of snow.