Severe thunderstorms rumbled through the Chicago area on Wednesday, causing travel issues at airports and on roadways during the morning commute.
The storms, which sparked warnings in Cook County and elsewhere, led to flight cancellations and delays at area airports, with more than 100 flights canceled between O’Hare and Midway as of 7 a.m., according to the Chicago Department of Aviation. A ground stop was in place at O'Hare Airport until 9:15 a.m. and at Midway Airport until 9:30 a.m. due to the storms, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
A total of 66 flights have been axed at O’Hare, with average delays of more than 20 minutes. Another 50 flights have been canceled at Midway.
Trains on the Metra Union Pacific Northwest Line and the Metra Union Pacific West Line have been halted due to tornado warnings in the area, but could resume shortly after those warnings expired.
Traffic impacts could also continue throughout the day on area roadways thanks to gusty winds, with a wind advisory in effect through 4 p.m. areawide.
Winds out of the southwest, ranging from 20-to-30 miles per hour, are expected throughout the day, with gusts of up to 50 miles per hour possible, making travel difficult for high-profile vehicles on north-south roadways.
Tree limbs could also be blown down, and power outages could potentially occur.
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