Dec. 09--Officials are urging commuters to drive cautiously this morning after some three inches of snow fell across the region Sunday night.
The National Weather Service recorded 3.1 inches of snowfall at O'Hare International Airport on Sunday, enough to cancel more than 140 flights and make a mess of area roads. Five inches fell in Antioch, 3.5 in Schaumburg and 2.5 in Wilmette, according to the weather service.
For air travelers so far this morning, O'Hare International Airport is reporting minor delays because planes are being de-iced and more than 100 flights have been canceled, according to the city's Dept. of Aviation.At Midway International Airport a few airlines have delays of 20 minutes or more but no cancellations, according to the department.
In Chicago, the city deployed 287 snowplows and cleared more than 9,000 lane miles, according to Commissioner Charles Williams of the Department of Streets and Sanitation.
While road conditions were better this morning than last night, "[M]otorists should continue to be cautious throughout the day," Williams said in a statement released early this morning.
Illinois State Police patrolling local expressways responded to more than a dozen spinouts and minor crashes, Trooper Ivan Bukaczyk said. While none of the incidents caused serious injuries, conditions remained slick this morning and Bukaczyk warned drivers to limit their speed and leave plenty of room between vehicles.
"Give yourself adequate stopping distances," he said. "Every time we have the first few snowfalls of the year, people have to become re-accclimated to driving in conditions that aren't perfect."
Snow is also expected Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, according to the National Weather Service.
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