Hundreds of flights canceled as Midwest braces for snowstorm

(Tim Boyle/Newsmakers)

CHICAGO (Sun-Times Media Wire) -Holiday travelers were facing delays and cancellations at both of Chicago’s major airports as a winter storm moved into the area on Sunday.

As of 7:30 p.m., 740 flights had been canceled at O’Hare International Airport, while 399 others were facing delays, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation. At Midway International Airport, 124 flights had been canceled and 80 more were delayed.

Average delays at both airports were lasting more than 15 minutes, the CDA said.

From 6 p.m. Sunday until 9 a.m. Monday, heavy snow and wind gusts up to 50 mph are expected to move through Cook, DuPage, Grundy and Will counties, according to the National Weather Service. In addition, portions of Boone, McHenry, Ogle, Lee, DeKalb and Kane counties will remain under a blizzard warning from 6 p.m. Sunday until 6 a.m. Monday.

Snow could fall as fast as two inches per hour and cause periodic life-threatening blizzard conditions, the weather service said. Travelers should look out for rain transitioning with little notice into heavy, wet snow on Sunday afternoon.