Chicago snowstorm lighter than anticipated, but airports cancel over 150 flights this week

In preparation for the “big” snowstorm forecasted, residents of Chicago waited and prepared for the worst, racking up on groceries and supplies for their homes and holding off on weekly plans for the biggest snowfall of the season thus far. 

Luckily, the snowfall has remained fairly mild, with the majority of southern Chicago areas reaching around 2-4 inches of snow by Tuesday evening, whereas northwest of Cook County saw a more significant amount, hitting a whopping 7.3 inches, according to a Chicago Tribune weather report.

Many schools in the area shut down on Tuesday in response to the snowstorm advisory, opting for e-learning, while O’Hare and Midway airports underwent over 150 flight cancellations so far this week, with O’Hare International canceling a total of 110 flights and Midway, 44 flights, due to the storm, according to a Chicago Department of Aviation report. Although Chicago managed to stay under the predicted 8 inches, this is the largest snowfall since April 14, 2019, when O’Hare experienced 5.4 inches of snow, according to a National Weather Service report. 

Lake-effect snowfall and gloomy skies are expected to continue through mid-afternoon Wednesday, while sunshine is anticipated for Thursday and Friday. 

The largest snowstorm to hit Chicago to date was in 1967, accumulating 23 inches of snow and earning the name “The Blizzard of 1967.” Just two days prior to the snow dump, temperatures reached 65 degrees.

Here are a few of our favorite photos from this week’s snowstorm: