Pounding waves close section of South Shore Drive for hours

Pounding waves and steady rain brought by a winter storm Saturday forced the closure of parts of Lake Shore Drive and South Shore Drive due to flooding.

The storm also caused the cancellation of more than 1,200 flights at the city’s airports Saturday afternoon.

Steady rain throughout the day transitioned to snow Saturday night, with 2.1 inches recorded at O’Hare International Airport by the end of the storm, according to the National Weather Service. Midway International Airport saw 1.2 inches.

Wind gusts more than 55 mph were reported Saturday and waves as high as 20 feet ravaged the shoreline, rendering beaches in the area impassable and sending water over break walls, flooding parking lots and closing lakefront trails.

High waves from Lake Michigan hit the lakefront trail near North Avenue as a major winter storm, bringing freezing rain and wind gusts as high as 55 mph, moves through the Chicago area, Saturday afternoon, Jan. 11, 2020. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

1 of 7

The far right lane of Lake Shore Drive, between Oak Street and La Salle Drive, is closed to traffic as high waves from Lake Michigan hit the lakefront trail while a major winter storm, bringing freezing rain and wind gusts as high as 55 mph, moves through the Chicago area, Saturday afternoon, Jan. 11, 2020. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

2 of 7

Pedestrians on the Magnificent Mile use their hoods to shield their faces as a major winter storm, bringing freezing rain and wind gusts as high as 55 mph, moves through the Chicago area, Saturday afternoon, Jan. 11, 2020. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

3 of 7

North Avenue Beach floods as a major winter storm, bringing freezing rain and wind gusts as high as 55 mph, moves through the Chicago area, Saturday afternoon, Jan. 11, 2020. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

4 of 7

High waves from Lake Michigan hit the lakefront trail near Fullerton Avenue as a major winter storm, bringing freezing rain and wind gusts as high as 55 mph, moves through the Chicago area, Saturday afternoon, Jan. 11, 2020. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

5 of 7

High waves from Lake Michigan hit the lakefront trail near North Avenue as a major winter storm, bringing freezing rain and wind gusts as high as 55 mph, moves through the Chicago area, Saturday afternoon, Jan. 11, 2020. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

6 of 7

Pedestrians on the Magnificent Mile use their hoods to shield their faces as a major winter storm, bringing freezing rain and wind gusts as high as 55 mph, moves through the Chicago area, Saturday afternoon, Jan. 11, 2020. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

7 of 7

About 9:45 a.m., the deluge forced the Office of Emergency Management to close South Shore Drive between 67th Street and 71st Street due to high water. The road was reopened about 6 p.m.

High waves also closed a lane of traffic about noon between the 1000 and 1600 blocks of North Lake Shore Drive for several hours, officials said.

The Chicago Department of Aviation reported at least 1,139 flights canceled at O’Hare and 87 flights canceled at Midway International Airport Saturday afternoon.

By 6:30 a.m. Sunday, those numbers had dropped to 93 cancellations at O’Hare and two at Midway, with delays at both airports averaging less than 15 minutes.

The Department of Streets and Sanitation deployed over 200 snow vehicles to spread salt over “arterial routes” and Lake Shore Drive Saturday before turning their attention residential streets by 6:20 a.m. Sunday, the agency said.

Drivers were advised to use caution, the weather service said, as blowing and accumulating snow was expected to cause reduced visibility on the region’s roadways.

Cook County officials urged residents to be cautious during the storm by steering clear of flooded roadways, bringing loose items indoors and avoiding the Lake Michigan shoreline.

Sunday is expected to be partly sunny with a high near 30 and wind gusts up to 15 mph, the weather service said. A weaker storm system could bring more freezing drizzle or light snow to the Chicago area Sunday night.