(Crain's) — O’Hare International Airport had seen more than 1,300 flights canceled by midafternoon Tuesday and carriers at Midway Airport ceased operations, as a powerful winter storm took hold of Chicago.
The Chicago Public Schools announced there will be no classes Wednesday.
The Chicago Department of Aviation said both Midway and O’Hare remained open Tuesday afternoon, but most of the airlines planned to stop operating flights at O’Hare for the rest of the evening. Most carriers at O’Hare indicated they will have limited or no flight operations Wednesday, the department said in a news release.
At Midway, airlines have canceled flights for the remainder of today. Some airlines expect to resume operations Wednesday afternoon, with the majority of flights expected to resume in the evening, the Aviation Department said.
The Chicago Public Schools canceled classes Wednesday “out of an abundance of caution and to ensure the safety of students and school-based staff,” Chicago Public Schools Interim Chief Executive Officer Terry Mazany said in a news release Tuesday afternoon. Principals, assistant principals, lunchroom managers, engineers, custodians and security personnel have to report to their schools, according to the release, but teachers and other staff do not.
Metra moved up its rush-hour schedule and election officials closed early voting sites as the Chicago area braced for a blizzard that is expected to be the city's third-worst storm ever.
Commuters heading to the suburbs packed some Metra trains to capacity in the early afternoon as they attempted to avoid traveling during a storm that could ultimately dump two feet of snow on the city. Travelers were denied entrance to one Metra route on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe line as the cars were full, according to a witness.
The suburban transit agency adjusted its schedule Tuesday to run more trains earlier in the day and canceling some rush hour routes. The adjusted schedule can be found on Metra's website.
Gov. Pat Quinn has activated more than 500 Illinois National Guard troops to be stationed at rest areas along interstate highways. The troops, who will be stocked with water and snack bars, will work with the Illinois State Police to ensure stranded travelers are safe.
The Chicago Board of Elections announced voting sites will be closed Wednesday. Election officials say they expect early voting to resume Thursday.
Monday was the first day of early voting in an election that features the candidacy of former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel. Authorities have said they expected early-voter turnout to be far higher this year than during the last election four years ago.
If forecasters are right, Tuesday's storm will be overshadowed only by the 21.6 inches of snow that fell in 1999 and the 23 inches in 1967.
National Weather Service meteorologist Chuck Schaffer said the good news is that the weather system stretching from Central Illinois near Quincy to the northeast across Peoria and up into Chicago won't result in heavy snow until most people are home from work Tuesday evening and in bed overnight.
The National Weather Service warned that high winds with gusts of up to 60 mph could produce waves on Lake Michigan of up to 25 feet, leading to considerable coastal flooding and freezing spray, particularly along Lake Shore Drive.
Travel across the plains and Midwest was a mess.
Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City and Tulsa International Airport were both closed. In Texas, the destination for thousands trying to get to the Super Bowl on Sunday, Dallas-Forth Worth International Airport was closed for about an hour so crews could treat runways glazed over with ice.
Original Source : Chicago Business
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