A powerful winter storm has unleashed record-breaking snowfall across Chicago, creating massive travel disruptions during the busy Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Hundreds of flights have been grounded at O'Hare International Airport, leaving travelers stranded during one of the year's busiest travel periods.
Record-Breaking Snowfall Paralyzes Chicago
The winter storm sweeping across the Midwest has particularly hammered Chicago, with O'Hare Airport recording approximately 8.4 inches of snow up to midnight Saturday. This remarkable snowfall shattered the previous record for the snowiest November day of 8.0 inches, which had stood since November 6, 1951.
Across the Chicago metropolitan area, snowfall measurements ranged between 7 to 10 inches as of Sunday morning, creating hazardous driving conditions and significantly impacting airport operations during what is typically one of the heaviest travel weekends of the year.
Massive Flight Cancellations and Delays
According to ABC News citing flight tracker FlightAware, the travel disruption reached critical levels with 179 cancellations at O'Hare Airport early Sunday alone. The breakdown included 110 departing flights that never left the ground, adding to the travel chaos.
The situation was even more severe on Saturday, when the storm's initial impact caused more than a thousand flights to be delayed or cancelled at the busy Chicago airport. Nationwide, the disruption affected at least 450 flights across the United States as of 7 a.m. ET Sunday.
FAA Warning and Travel Advisory
The Federal Aviation Administration issued an operations plan early Sunday highlighting the severe weather constraints affecting air travel. The advisory noted that heavy snow and ice in the Upper Great Lakes region, combined with thunderstorms in the Southern Plains and heavy holiday travel volume, were creating major operational challenges.
Travelers are being strongly advised to check their flight status directly with airlines before heading to airports and to prepare for difficult driving conditions as the winter storm continues to impact the region. The timing couldn't be worse for the millions of Americans trying to return home after Thanksgiving celebrations with family and friends.
Photographs from O'Hare International Airport showed long lines of frustrated travelers waiting at security checkpoints in Terminal 3 on November 30, 2025, as the winter storm created one of the most significant Thanksgiving travel disruptions in recent years.
