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Winter storm bearing down on Chicago

1:26PM Wednesday
December 19, 2012

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CITY OF CHICAGO PLOW TRACKER

December 20, 2012

A winter storm zeroing in on Chicago caused hundreds of flight cancellations Thursday and near-blizzard conditions are possible during rush hour.

The National Weather Service is expecting intense snowfall and high winds to move into the Chicago area Thursday afternoon, prompting a winter storm warning lasting until 3 a.m. Friday.

The city had gone 290 days without significant snow accumulation through Wednesday.

Rain is expected to change to snow late Thursday afternoon with the heaviest snowfall, strongest winds and lowest visibility between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m., according to the weather service. Two to six inches of accumulation is likely, and possibly more in the northern suburbs and northwest Indiana.

Wind gusts up to 50 miles per hour could cause blowing and drifting snow throughout the night.

The falling temperatures and near-blizzard conditions will cause roads to become snow covered and make rush hour travel "treacherous," according to the weather service.

The Illinois Tollway said it mobilized its full fleet of 182 snowplows in preparation for the storm. It has also canceled all temporary lane closures through Dec. 26 to help with snow removal.

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"This weather event is expected to impact most of the Tollway system -- from Rockford to Chicago -- resulting in rapidly deteriorating driving conditions across the entire region," Illinois Tollway Executive Director Kristi Lafleur said in a statement. "We urge everyone to stay off the roads this afternoon and evening, if possible, but if you must drive, slow down and allow plenty of extra time for the commute home."

In the air, low visibility caused airlines to cancel nearly 300 flights at O'Hare Airport, according to the city's Department of Aviation. Delays have been averaging between 30 and 90 minutes for both inbound and outbound flights all afternoon as of 3:30 p.m.

At Midway Airport, airlines have canceled more than 150 flights and Southwest Airlines has canceled all of its Midway flights after 4:30 p.m. The airport was reporting "minor delays" Thursday afternoon, according to the Department of Aviation.

Passengers planning to travel on Thursday, and those picking up passengers, should check their airline's website for flight status.

Temperatures are expected to remain in the 20s Friday and will drop into the mid-teens Friday night. The high temperature will only rise to near freezing levels over the weekend.

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CHICAGO (AP) - Chicago aviation officials are reporting delays and more than 350 flight cancellations at O'Hare and Midway international airports as a winter storm bears down on the Midwest.

Most of the weather-related slow-down Thursday was at O'Hare, where some delays stretched to more than two hours.

So far, the region is seeing high winds, rain and fog, which is reducing visibility.

Southwest Airlines has cancelled all its Midway flights after 4:30 p.m.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for the area. Rain will turn to snow by Thursday evening. There could be 2 to 6 inches of snow in the Chicago area, with wind gusts up to 60 mph.

United Airlines and American Airlines are waiving fees for some travelers who want to change their plans.

December 19, 2012

Story by 89 WLS reporter Bill Cameron
(CHICAGO) -- There's a snow storm coming tomorrow and City Hall is claiming to be prepared.

It'll be the first measurable snowfall of the season but the mayor's brand new Streets & Sanitation Commissioner Charles Williams says the snow won't be the worst of it, "It's not the snow. It's the ice! It's important to keep in mind that as those temperatures drop and those streets begin to freeze, you're gonna have very icy conditions. Our plows are out there primarily to take care of the icy conditions."

It's been awhile since Chicago area residents heard the terms "near-blizzard conditions" and "thundersnow," but the first accumulating snowfall event of the season could bring all of that and more Thursday.

The snow is expected to hit the Chicago area Thursday evening and will likely be accompanied by strong winds and low visibility -- leading to the possibility of wind damage, sporadic power outages and treacherous driving conditions, according to the National Weather Service.

A winter storm watch will be in effect Thursday for a powerful winter storm that formed over the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles that is expected to move across the southern Great Plains Wednesday evening and reach Illinois by early Thursday, the weather service said.

In the Chicago area, Thursday will start with rain and wind but as temperatures fall, wet and heavy snow will descend upon us.

The weather service forecasts a very windy day with rain and a chance of thunderstorms from morning through early afternoon Thursday. This rain will then mix with and eventually change all to snow by evening.

Snow may become locally heavy at times for a brief period, combining with very strong northwest winds to cause blowing and drifting snow and severely reduced visibilities, the weather service said. Snowfall amounts are expected to be in the 1- to 4-inch range across the Chicago area before tapering off Thursday evening. However, gusty northwest winds may continue to produce some blowing snow through Thursday night.

Northwest winds will increase to 25 to 35 miles per hour with gusts to 50 mph by Thursday evening -- possibly create near-blizzard conditions in some areas -- greatly reducing visibility, making traffic difficult and leading to the possibility of minor wind damage and sporadic power outages, the weather service said.

The accumulating snow may be heavy and lead to roads quickly becoming snow-covered and making travel treacherous. The potential for thundersnow exists, causing locally heavier snow totals, the weather service said.

While the snow will end by Friday morning, it will still be very windy, according to the weather service. Highs will be in the upper 20s Friday, with northwest winds between 25 to 35 mph in the morning with gusts of up to 45 mph. Temperatures will dip Friday night, with lows in the mid-teens in the outlying areas to the lower 20s downtown.

Saturday was expected to be mostly sunny, with high temperatures around 30 degrees.

By BRADY McCOMBS and COLLEEN SLEVIN

DENVER (AP) - A storm that has dumped more than a foot of snow in the Rocky Mountains could cause headaches for travelers in the Midwest.

Drivers in Iowa and Nebraska are being warned to be careful or stop driving altogether starting Wednesday evening as the first major winter storm of the season heads into the central Plains. Strong winds are expected to create blizzard conditions.

Light snow is also expected at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on Thursday and strong winds could make visibility poor. National Weather Service forecaster Jamie Enderlen says that, combined with low clouds, could cause delays at the nation's second-busiest airport.

Delays at Denver's airport, the fifth-busiest, were averaging 30 minutes because of snow and ice Wednesday. Interstates in Colorado remained open.

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