Chicago Rocked by Massive Blizzard, Shuts Down City

The Windy City has been battered by a historic blizzard, leaving Chicago buried under feet of snow and forcing a near-total shutdown of the city. The relentless storm, which began pummeling the region on Monday, has dropped a staggering 20 inches of snow so far, with more expected to fall.The Windy City has been battered by a historic blizzard, leaving Chicago buried under feet of snow and forcing a near-total shutdown of the city. The relentless storm, which began pummeling the region on Monday, has dropped a staggering 20 inches of snow so far, with more expected to fall. The blizzard’s icy grip has paralyzed transportation across the city. All CTA buses and trains have been suspended, leaving commuters stranded. Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway airports have also been forced to cancel nearly all flights, stranding thousands of travelers. Mayor Lori Lightfoot has declared a citywide snow emergency and urged residents to stay home. “This is a life-threatening situation,” she said. “We must do everything we can to protect our residents.” City services have been severely disrupted by the storm. Garbage collection has been suspended, and some schools and libraries have been closed. Emergency services are operating on a limited basis, but response times may be delayed. Residents have been advised to stockpile food and water in case of prolonged power outages. As of Tuesday morning, over 4,000 ComEd customers were without power due to downed lines and damaged transformers. The blizzard is expected to continue throughout Tuesday, with the heaviest snowfall occurring during the afternoon and evening hours. Forecasters warn that snowdrifts could reach heights of up to 10 feet in some areas. The city of Chicago is braced for a long and arduous cleanup process once the storm subsides. Mayor Lightfoot has pledged to deploy additional resources to clear the streets and restore essential services as quickly as possible.