O'Hare, Midway, canceling flights due to chance of bad weather

O'Hare International Airport and Midway Airport have been pre-emptively canceling flights scheduled this afternoon due to expected bad weather and the previous fire at the Federal Aviation Administration tower in Aurora.

The Chicago Department of Aviation has announced that about 450 flights have been canceled at O'Hare. Delays are averaging 20 minutes, the CDA is reporting.

At Midway, up to 300 flights have been canceled, and delays are averaging 20 minutes, the CDA reports.

In addition, the department of aviation announced Southwest Airlines has canceled all flights after noon at Midway.

A contract employee from Naperville damaged computers and cut cables at the Aurora FAA center Sept. 26, causing significant damage that is not expected to be repaired until Oct. 13. Control operations usually handled in Aurora been transferred to centers in Cleveland, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Minneapolis and elsewhere, slowing down some flight operations in Chicago.

People are urged to contact their airlines to determine their flight status.

Heavy thunderstorms are expected to roll in this afternoon.