The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed a ground stop for flights destined for Chicago O’Hare International Airport until 11:15 a.m. Central Time and for Chicago Midway Airport until at least 11:30 a.m. on August 11, 2026. Following the ground stops, a ground delay program will remain active at O’Hare until 10 p.m. to manage arriving air traffic.
Severe Storms Impact Chicago Airspace
An intense line of storms swept across Illinois and Indiana on August 11, bringing destructive wind gusts of up to 100 mph, brief tornadoes, and heavy rainfall to the Chicago area. The severe weather caused downed trees and power lines, triggering flood warnings
throughout the region.
Operational Disruptions at Chicago Airports
The Chicago Department of Aviation confirmed that the control tower at Midway Airport was briefly evacuated during the storm event, temporarily disrupting air traffic control operations. The FAA ground stop and subsequent ground delay program led to significant flight delays and cancellations for flights arriving at and departing from Chicago’s two main airports.
Severe weather alerts were issued across most of the Chicago metropolitan area during the event. NBC 5 meteorologist Kevin Jeanes provided forecasts outlining the storm’s progression as it affected air travel on August 11, 2026.
