Snow Storm Slams Chicago, Blizzard Warning In Effect
UPDATE: Feb. 1, 6:09 p.m.
(CBS) -- Snow and wind are slamming the Chicago area, with some parts getting 15 inches of snow.
The area is under a Blizzard Warning until midnight. As of 4 p.m., Midway Airport received 13.7 inches of snow and Bull Bull Valley in McHenry County has received 15 inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service.
As of 4:35 p.m., Harwood Heights in Cook County has received 14.5 inches and Batavia in Kane County has received 13.5 inches of snow according to the NWS.
The snow is expected to continue until early Monday morning, with between 12-16 inches of snow accumulating in the Chicago area, with slightly lower amounts in the northern suburbs.
At both O'Hare and Midway, wind speeds of over 30 miles-per-hour were recorded. A Blizzard Warning goes into effect during periods of heavy snowfall and blowing snow with visibility under 1/4 of a mile and wind gusts of over 35 miles per hour.
A Lakeshore Flood Advisory is also in effect until 10 a.m. Monday with strong waves and high winds near Lake Michigan.
The city of Chicago has said that they have over 350 snow removal vehicles and 356,000 tons of salt to clear the roads. You can check the progress of snow plows with the city's plow tracker. Officials say to avoid the roads and drive only if you have to.
At a press conference at OEMC, Chicago Streets and Sanitation Commissioner Charles Williams said that plows will focus on arterial streets until the snow stops falling and then hit the neighborhood side streets, likely sometime late Sunday or early Monday.
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The storm has made driving treacherous. CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot reports in Morton Grove, there were several cars in ditches and in Highland Park, at Route 41 near Central, yet another car in a ditch. Tow trucks also stopped to help motorists stuck in snow banks there.
According to the Kane County Sheriff's Office, all roads west of Route 47 are basically impassable and warn drivers that they should be prepared to be stranded for an extended period.
The storm has led to hundreds of flight cancellations at Chicago's airports. As of 3:45 p.m., more than 1,300 flights have been cancelled at O'Hare with 45 minute delays. At Midway, more than 300 flights have been cancelled with some delays.
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Metra Electric District trains in the South Suburbs are experiencing some delays Sunday morning. To check the status of your Metra train click here.
As of 4:22 p.m., 14,000 ComEd customers were without power, with about 12,000 in the southern region. About 45,000 customers have had their power affected by the storm, with 30,000 customers having their power restored.
A number of places including the Brookfield Zoo have closed. Disney Frozen On Ice had its 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. shows as schedule but the 7 p.m. show has been cancelled. The Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium and the Field Museum are all closing early Sunday afternoon. DePaul University cancelled classes for Monday. For a full list of cancellations, click here.
