Chicago area hit with snow squall warning; ground stop issued at O'Hare Airport
Heavy burst of snow hits Chicago, creates whiteout conditions
Heavy snow came down in Chicago on Wednesday morning, stalling flights and leading to whiteout conditions.
CHICAGO - A ground stop was briefly issued at O'Hare Airport and a snow squall warning was put in place on Wednesday morning due to heavy snow.
What we know:
Departures to O'Hare Airport were grounded from 7:15 a.m. until 8:45 a.m. due to weather, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Departures from O'Hare are averaging 15 minutes and increasing.
In the past 24 hours, five flights have been canceled at O'Hare. Midway Airport has not been impacted.
A snow squall warning with whiteout conditions is in effect until 9 a.m. for portions of Cook, Will, Lake, Porter, Kankakee, Jasper and Newton Counties, according to the National Weather Service.
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What are snow squalls and why are they so dangerous?
Snow squalls can happen at a moment's notice and pose extreme danger to motorists who are unfortunate enough to drive into this sudden burst of heavy snow.
At least two inches of snow came down in less than two hours in the Gurnee/Wadsworth area as of 7:45 a.m. Visibilities have dropped and winds are gusting in some spots to more than 50 mph.
Lake-effect snow will be attacking parts of Chicago, northwest Indiana and southwest Michigan today and tomorrow. Porter County is under a Winter Weather Advisory while LaPorte and Berrien counties are dealing with a Winter Storm Warning. Travel in these areas will be difficult both today and tomorrow.
What you can do:
For more flight information and updates, visit the National Airspace System Status website.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.
The Source: The information in this report came from the Federal Aviation Administration.