Snow causes ground stop at O’Hare, creates hazardous conditions for morning rush

Snow moved swiftly into the Chicago area Wednesday morning, causing a ground stop at O’Hare International Airport and creating hazardous road conditions for the morning rush.

The ground stop went into effect around 7:15 a.m. due to snow and ice and was expected to last until at least 8:45 a.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

As of 8 a.m., over 60 flights at O’Hare had been delayed, according to FlightAware.

Wind gusts were expected to reach 40 miles per hour and about an inch of snow was expected to created poor visibility and slowed driving, the National Weather Service said.

“Although it’s not gonna last very long, an hour or two at most in any location, it is gonna be pretty nasty out there as it comes through,” Brett Borchardt, a meteorologist with the weather service, said.

Borchardt urged commuters to stay cautious if it’s not possible to delay hitting the roads until after the burst of snow has passed through the area.

“We haven’t really had to deal with this kind of snow in a little bit but just take it slow,” Borchardt said. “If you’re able to wait it out, that’s the way to handle it.”