Severe weather on Sunday, August 9, 2026, forced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to initiate ground stops at Chicago’s two major airports, O’Hare International Airport and Midway Airport, resulting in significant flight delays and operational disruptions.
Ground Stop Timelines at Chicago Airports
The ground stop at O’Hare began just prior to noon and was lifted shortly after 3 p.m. That at Midway started just before 1 p.m. and ended at 3:45 p.m. The FAA managed both ground stops in response to the severe weather conditions impacting the Chicago area.
Flight Operations and Delays
During the ground stops, flights destined for Chicago were held at their departure airports. Departure delays were
reported at O’Hare throughout the ground stop period. Even after the ground stop at O’Hare was lifted, congestion on the airfield continued to increase, with average ground delays reaching 100 minutes according to the FAA.
The ground stops and cascading delays affected both inbound and outbound flights at Chicago’s principal airports, disrupting normal operations and delaying planned schedules.
Travelers to and from Chicago on August 9 should anticipate ongoing delays related to these disruptions at O’Hare and Midway airports caused by severe weather.
