CHICAGO Jan21, 2012(AFP): Hundreds of flights were canceled to and from Chicago’s busy airports Friday as a snow storm officials said will dump heavy snow struck the region.As of mid-day Friday some 370 flights had been canceled at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport — the second busiest airport in the country after Atlanta — and Midway International Airport. While there were “no significant delays” at the airports early Friday, “due to the snowfall anticipated for the Chicago area ... airlines at O’Hare have proactively canceled more than 300 in and outbound flights” for late Friday, the Chicago Department of Aviation said. Some 70 flights scheduled to and from Midway airport had also been canceled, the Department said. The National Weather Service said a large storm moving from the central United States would pound the region with snow, sleet and freezing rain Friday afternoon and into Saturday. “Snowfall totals of four to six inches can be expected” in the Chicago area, “with locally higher amounts possible,” the NWS said in an urgent winter storm warning. “Accumulating snow will cause significantly increased travel times, resulting in a particularly treacherous afternoon commute.” Especially low temperatures will “make it harder for road crews to keep roads clear of snow and ice,” the NWS warned. The service advised people to “only travel in an emergency.” The storm was expected to move past Chicago overnight towards the east coast, affecting New York and as far south as the Washington area.
