Snow Day in the Midwest

Delay alert if you're traveling today, especially from, to or through the Midwest:

Freezing temperatures and ice are hampering air travel in the Midwest and into upstate New York. As of noon, Chicago O'Hare had a ground-delay program in effect. Aircraft de-icing was slowing traffic at Minneapolis/St. Paul. Des Moines Airport was closed this morning and hadn't re-opened as of noon, after a United regional jet skidded off the runway.

(Update: At 6 p.m. Eastern time, O’Hare is a mess. According to FlightStats.com, of the 426 flights scheduled to depart O'Hare between noon and 6 p.m. Central time (an hour from this writing) 159 have already been cancelled. Of 461 flights scheduled to arrive from other airports in that period, 163 have been cancelled. Not delayed -- cancelled. Now the delays and cancellations at O’Hare and elsewhere in the Midwest are starting to roll out to either coast, and come tomorrow a lot of airplanes are going to be sitting at the wrong airports. Good thing today is a Saturday (though that sentiment does you no good if you happen to be flying today).

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