Chicago experienced a significant snow event that led to hazardous travel conditions across the city and surrounding areas. Overnight snowfall hit the region, prompting a Winter Storm Warning for many locations. This weather alert began on Monday morning.
School Closures and Delays
Several schools in Chicago and Northwest Indiana announced closures and delayed starts due to the inclement weather. Motorists faced challenging conditions on the roads, potentially putting their safety at risk.
Weather Conditions
As of early Monday, Chicago had already noted the most severe snowfall, with around 3 inches of accumulation in some areas. Lake-effect snow contributed to intense snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour.
By 7 a.m., conditions improved as crews cleared a multi-vehicle accident on northbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive. Meanwhile, reports from surrounding towns showed significant snow accumulation, including:
- Crown Point, Indiana: 10 inches
- Momence, Indiana: 12 inches
- Hobart, Indiana: 6.5 inches
- Waukegan Airport: 8 inches
Temperatures remained in the 20s, with wind chills feeling like the teens. Light snow was expected to persist through the afternoon.
Transportation Impacts
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) announced that Route #147 would experience reroutes due to severe weather near Lake Shore Drive. In response to hazardous road conditions, Indiana State Police reported over 50 service calls since the snowfall began.
Flight travel was significantly affected, with over 400 cancellations reported at Chicago’s airports. Specific numbers included:
- O’Hare International Airport: 231 cancellations, average delay of 24 minutes.
- Midway Airport: 130 cancellations, average delay of 15 minutes.
The City of Chicago’s Department of Streets and Sanitation deployed salt-spreader trucks to address road conditions and urged residents to drive cautiously.
Winter Storm Warnings and Advisories
Multiple counties in both Illinois and Indiana faced Winter Storm Warnings and Weather Advisories. Brief details include:
- Illinois’ Lake County: Alert until 9 a.m. Monday.
- Cook and Will Counties: Alert until noon Monday.
- Kankakee County: Alert until noon Monday.
- Indiana’s Lake and Porter Counties: Alert until 6 p.m. Monday.
- Several counties in Indiana also under Weather Advisory until 6 p.m. Monday.
Residents are encouraged to stay updated on weather changes and take appropriate precautions as conditions develop.
