More than 1,000 flights were canceled Monday as a winter storm pelted the Chicago area with ice, sleet and snow.
As of 8:30 p.m., more than 1,360 flights were canceled at O'Hare International Airport and more than 300 flights were canceled at Midway Airport. Delays of up to two hours were also reported at O'Hare Airport, while flights were being delayed up to 15 minutes at Midway, officials said.
The National Weather Service extended its Winter Storm Warning Monday evening. It will now remain in effect for Chicago until midnight, along with several surrounding counties.
Flight-tracking service Flightaware found that Chicago’s two major airports led the nation in cancellations Monday, with about 40 percent of flights canceled at both airports. In all, 2,341 flights were canceled across the U.S., and nearly 6,500 were delayed, the service reported.
Freezing rain and sleet began to develop in the early morning hours Monday, with a quarter of an inch of ice falling in some areas.
The wintry weather is expected to shift to all rain by mid-afternoon, with isolated thunderstorms possible.
Winds will continue to gust at 45 to 50 mph hour throughout the day, with gusts possibly reaching near 60 mph along the the lakeshore. The high winds bring the threat for power outages and could make travel nearly impossible, according to the NWS.
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Forecasters have also warned the icy precipitation could make travel hazardous, and drivers should use extra precaution on the slick roadways during their commutes.
