CHICAGO (AP) — A powerful storm is bringing heavy snow and biting winds to parts of the Midwest. It's led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights in and out of Chicago and the closure of schools in several states.
Airlines cancelled more than 1,000 flights to and from Chicago's major airports. Most cancellations were at O'Hare, but Southwest Airlines cancelled all of its departures out of Midway for the day. City officials will deploy Chicago's full fleet of 300 snowplows for the evening rush hour.
The heaviest snow is expected to hit northern Indiana, where powerful winds blowing off of Lake Michigan could keep snow piling up past midnight and bury the area in up to 18 inches.
The warnings from the National Weather Service also stretched southwest through all of Illinois and into Missouri, where several inches has fallen, downing power lines and closing schools. Blizzard warnings are posted in eastern Illinois and northwestern Indiana.