Wind, snow sweep into Chicago, make for vacation journey challenges

Chicago began the final Monday morning of 2025 with nasty wind and snow, a day after a curler coaster climate day that concerned fog, rain, thunderstorms, and even a twister warning in Kankakee County and elements of Northwest Indiana.

Winds had been howling all evening lengthy and as of 5 a.m., they had been gusting at as much as 48 mph in elements of the realm, however have since diminished. A Wind Advisory that had been in impact Monday morning for a lot of the Chicago space has been canceled, however a wind advisory stays in impact in Porter County, Indiana, till 3 p.m.

Meanwhile, wind-whipped snow was falling all through the realm within the predawn hours. The snow tapered off from northwest to southeast after dawn, and snow was not falling downtown by 9 a.m., although flurries might linger in some areas into the afternoon.

Accumulations stayed gentle, typically an inch or much less, however slick roads had been an issue for the morning commute.

A Winter Weather Advisory that was in impact Monday morning for a lot of the Chicago space has since expired.

This all got here as individuals had been heading again into city after the Christmas vacation, whereas some had been heading out for New Year’s Eve.

At O’Hare and Midway worldwide airports, cancellations and delays had been an issue Monday morning, with 91 cancellations at O’Hare and 7 at Midway as of 10:30 a.m. Delays had been averaging 25 minutes at O’Hare, and fewer than quarter-hour at Midway. Cancellations and delays ramped up within the in a single day hours amid the wind and snow, and delays had been rising much more simply earlier than dawn.

Gus and Karen Stoltz had been heading to Fort Lauderdale Monday morning, and arrived at O’Hare early.

“It was slippery. We were coming on 53 and it was very, very slippery, but 294 was nice and clear,” mentioned Gus Stoltz. “So thank God we got here early.”

Greg Stahl was heading to Las Vegas, and was none too disillusioned to take action.

“I am so happy to be leaving Chicago, even though it was wonderfully gray and dismal all week,” Stahl mentioned. “I’m going to Las Vegas, so it’ll be 60 and it’ll probably be in 40s in the evening.”

Stahl mentioned he hoped he did not should cope with any delays on the always-packed flight. He mentioned he was delayed at Thanksgiving.

Winter climate has been a difficulty at airports throughout the nation all weekend lengthy. Travelers complained of being delayed both coming into or leaving the Chicago space throughout one of many busiest occasions of 12 months.

Experts mentioned Orlando and Cancún are among the many top-ranking locations for journey throughout this era betwixt Christmas and New Year’s. Chicago isn’t up there amongst locations, and the climate isn’t serving to there.

AAA additionally mentioned the roads will likely be packed by way of New Year’s Day. End-of-the-year vacation journey is predicted to set a brand new document this 12 months, with greater than 6 million Illinoisans touring at the very least 50 miles from residence.

That quantity is up greater than 2% in comparison with final 12 months.

The greatest time to get on the street Monday is earlier than 10 a.m., whereas the worst is between midday and eight p.m., AAA mentioned.

Heading to O’Hare within the in a single day hours, the roads had been in dangerous form. Drifting snow precipitated a smoke machine impact on the bottom, and plenty of semi-trailer vehicles had been pulled over on the Tri-State Tollway (I-294).

Crashes had been reported all alongside Chicago space interstates early Monday morning, and a semi-trailer truck additionally caught fireplace on the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) previous Winfield.

With the snow falling and ice on the roads, the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation had plows on the roads Monday morning. The division mentioned it would monitor major streets, DuSable Lake Shore Drive, bridges, and overpasses to ensure roads are secure.

This awful wintry Monday got here a day after unseasonable extreme climate socked the realm. On Sunday, a uncommon twister warning was issued for Kankakee, Illinois, and Newton and Jasper counties in Indiana. All of which have since expired.

As for the Chicago space, Sunday’s climate concerned fog, rain, some humidity, heat temperatures, thunderstorms, and powerful winds earlier than temperatures plummeted and snow began falling.

Kris Habermehl

contributed to this report.