After a series of severe tornadoes and thunderstorms hit the greater Chicago area, causing significant disruption, operations at O’Hare International Airport returned to normal once the storms had passed.

On Wednesday, the region experienced multiple tornadoes, leading to the temporary suspension of air traffic at O’Hare International and Midway airports. Tornado sirens sounded in Chicago, prompting urgent calls for residents to seek shelter. Four counties in Illinois, including Cook County where Chicago is located, were affected by eight tornadoes.

As a result of the inclement weather, both O’Hare and Midway airports were forced to ground all commercial flights, resulting in cancellations and delays. FlightAware reported over 300 canceled flights at O’Hare and 32 at Midway. However, operations resumed as usual after the storms had subsided and weather conditions improved, according to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

A confirmed tornado is on the ground near O'Hare airport! This tornado has been touching the ground intermittently so far and is moving east. There are additional circulations along the line south of O'Hare. Seek shelter if in the warned area! https://t.co/lirNZotdNn

— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) July 13, 2023

Throughout the evening, the National Weather Service (NWS) issued tornado warnings for different parts of the city, with tornado sirens sounding multiple times in Chicago. The tornado intermittently touched the ground and moved eastward. The NWS also issued warnings for the affected areas, urging residents to seek immediate shelter.

Reports indicated uprooted trees and roofs blown off in Countryside, while shattered car windows were observed in La Grange. Several tornadoes caused damage to trees and roofs in various locations. A circulated image on social media showed a collapsed cinder block building, purportedly in the industrial district of McCook, around 15 miles (24 kilometers) southwest of Chicago.

Source: With Agencies