Thunderstorms Ground, Delay Flights at Chicago's Major Airports

CHICAGO — Flights at Chicago’s two major airports were grounded on Wednesday morning as another round of severe weather and thunderstorms passed through the area.

The Federal Aviation Administration ordered ground stops at O’Hare International and Midway airports due to the severe weather, which arrived after storms moved through the region on Tuesday night.

Both of the ground stops were ordered just after 6:30 a.m. and were expected to run through 9:30, according to the FAA website. But shortly after 7 a.m., the agency announced that flights would be delayed rather than grounded altogether. The average length of delays at O’Hare was about 45 minutes, officials said, while at Midway, delays were extended to an hour.

The greater Chicago area remains under a severe thunderstorm watch until 11 a.m. on Wednesday. Winds could reach up to 75 mph and hail as large as 2 inches in diameter could be seen in some areas. Forecasters said that there is a possibility of tornadoes popping up in the areas as well as a period of unsettled weather continues.

The system is expected to leave the area by early Wednesday afternoon.