Dec. 20 (UPI) — Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport issued a “ground stop” early Friday as a winter storm spread over the region a day after the Upper Midwest was socked by as much as 11 inches of snow.
Much of the eastern United States, meanwhile, on Friday was getting ready for an arctic blast of cold air over the upcoming weekend.
O’Hare’s runways were shut down for more than 90 minutes beginning at 6 a.m. due to snow and ice accumulations. At the time of the ground stop order, only a single runway at the world’s busiest airport was operable, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
At 9 a.m., the FAA advised that flyers could expect holding and arrival delays into and out of O’Hare of up to 45 minutes due to aircraft and runway de-icing operations as the airport kicked off its busy Christmas holiday travel season.
The Chicago Department of Aviation said it is expecting about 3.66 million passengers to fly through O’Hare and Midway International Airports over the holiday season between Friday and Jan. 2, based on estimates from air carriers.
Airlines project that Monday will be the busiest travel day at O’Hare, with nearly 243,000 passengers. During the 14-day travel period through Jan. 2, O’Hare is projected to see nearly 3.05 million passengers, a 7.8% increase compared to 2023 that represents an additional 220,000 passengers.
“As the holiday spirit fills Chicago, O’Hare and Midway are gearing up to connect families, friends, and travelers,” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a statement. “From heartwarming reunions to exciting city adventures, our airports and dedicated staff are dedicated to making every journey as seamless and joyful as the season itself.”
That holiday spirit was sorely tested by the same snowstorm in other parts of the Midwest on Thursday before it descended on the Windy City.
Nearly nine inches of snow fell in southern Minnesota near Rochester and eight inches were seen in Twin Cities area, prompting snow emergency declarations throughout the region on Thursday.
Snowfall totals in the 7-11 inch range occurred over some parts of east-central Wisconsin, while the state capitol on Madison received 5.2 inches of the white stuff.
Elsewhere in the country, some of the coldest temperatures so far this winter are predicted for some parts of the Great Lakes and eastern United States during the upcoming weekend, with winter weather advisories in effect for portions of Michigan and the Central/Southern Appalachians, according to the National Weather Service.
An arctic airmass should bring daytime highs down to as much as 15 to 20 degrees below normal, for especially parts of the Northeast and nearby areas in the mid-Atlantic.
Meanwhile, lake effect and lake enhanced snowfall is expected near the Ohio Valley, Great Lakes, portions of the Appalachians, northern Mid-Atlantic States, and New England through Saturday, forecasters said.
Total snow accumulations of 4 to 7 inches were expected late Friday and into Saturday along the shores of Lake Erie in Ohio, including much of Geauga County, southern Lake County, and inland Ashtabula County. Western Cuyahoga County, including metro Cleveland, will see lighter accumulations, the NWS said.