A powerful winter storm swept across the Midwest on Sunday, snarling post-Thanksgiving travel and dumping record-breaking snowfall across the Chicago area.
Major Flight Disruptions at O’Hare
By early Sunday morning, more than 450 U.S. flights had been canceled, according to FlightAware, with Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport facing the heaviest setbacks.
O’Hare alone recorded 179 cancellations, including 110 departing flights, after already enduring more than a thousand cancellations and delays on Saturday.
Record Snowfall in Chicago
Snowfall at O’Hare reached 8.4 inches by midnight, breaking the city’s previous November daily record of 8.0 inches set in 1951. Across the Chicago metro area, totals ranged from 7 to 10 inches, creating hazardous conditions for travelers and residents.
Broader Weather Impacts
The FAA warned that heavy snow and ice across the Upper Great Lakes, combined with thunderstorms in the Southern Plains, would continue to affect operations on one of the busiest travel weekends of the year.
Millions heading home from Thanksgiving are likely to face continued delays as the storm system moves east.
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