FAA Issues Ground Stops at O'Hare and Midway Airports Due to Thunderstorms, Causing Significant Delays
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented ground stops for departing flights at both O'Hare and Midway airports in Chicago early Thursday morning. This action was taken as heavy rain and thunderstorms moved through the Chicago area. The ground stop at O'Hare concluded at 7:15 a.m., but average flight delays of nearly two hours were anticipated throughout the day. At Midway, the ground stop remained in effect until at least 8:45 a.m. The National Weather Service warned of potential 'torrential downpours,' with Midway Airport recording almost two inches of rain by 4:50 a.m. The persistent frontal boundary across the region is causing continuous showers and storms, leading to significant traffic disruptions and crashes during the morning commute, particularly north of I-80 where a flood advisory was issued for Kendall, northern Will, southern DuPage, south Cook, and northern Lake counties.
