More than 1,000 flights canceled at Chicago's airports as up to 10 inches of snow blankets the region

Deanese Williams-Harris, Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune on Nov 29, 2025

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CHICAGO — As heavy snow blanketed the Chicago area Saturday afternoon, the National Weather Service warned of up to 10 inches of accumulation by the morning. More than 1,000 flights were canceled at the city’s airports, while road conditions also grew hazardous.

The weather service expected total snow accumulations between 6 and 10 inches and wind gusts of 30 miles per hour. A winter storm warning remained in effect until 6 a.m. Sunday for portions of central, north-central and northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana.

As of noon Saturday, O’Hare International Airport saw 3.2 inches of snow, said weather service meteorologist Kevin Donofrio. There were 2.5 inches at Midway airport and 3 inches in Romeoville.

“It’s ranged generally anywhere from about 4 to 6 inches across the metro area (by the afternoon),” Donofrio said.

The peak snow rates of up to 1 inch per hour last from noon through 8 p.m. Saturday, Donofrio said. After midnight, the snow may turn into flurries, he added.

At O’Hare, more than 1,000 flights were canceled and 750 flights delayed as of Saturday afternoon, according to FlightAware, a website that tracks flight disruptions. Another 190 were canceled and more than 80 delayed at Midway airport.

Both O’Hare and Midway were under a ground stop Saturday afternoon due to the snow and ice, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The snow-covered roads will also make driving “hazardous,” the weather service said, with reduced visibility under 1 mile.

The city’s Department of Streets and Sanitation said it deployed more than 220 salt spreaders overnight to prepare for the storms. The Illinois Department of Transportation also said it’s working to clear the snow in Chicago, Springfield, Champaign and Quad Cities.

“If you have to be out, allow for extra travel time and don’t crowd the plows,” the weather service said.

Donofrio also warned of “slick travel conditions” on Monday evening’s commute when another round of snow is expected.

He said this amount of snow in November isn’t totally out of the norm, but that it may seem extreme because the last few winters have been “fairly benign.”

“Obviously, this has started off with a little bit more of a bang,” Donofrio said. “It can catch people off guard, but just make sure you’re prepared as we get back to more normal winter season here.”