Jan. 27--Although the winter storm hitting the Northeast may not be as bad as predicted, it still forced the cancellation of thousands of flights along the East Coast and more than 300 flights in Chicago.
At O'Hare International Airport, more than 280 flights had been canceled Tuesday morning due to the storm, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation. More than 45 flights had been canceled at Midway Airport.
That comes after nearly 200 flights had been canceled Monday and at least 600 more flights were delayed. Nearly 20 flights were canceled at Midway Airport, according to FlightStats.
Nationwide, about 4,600 flights had been canceled as of Tuesday morning.
Most major airlines are allowing customers whose flights are canceled in the next few days to book new flights without paying a penalty. Customers ticketed on flights to dozens of East Coast airports are generally eligible for the allowance, though specific terms vary by airline.
Blizzard warnings remained in effect for coastal areas of New York north through Maine, according to the National Weather Service. The weather service had warned of "crippling snowfall amounts and life-threatening blizzard conditions to much of the Northeast."
Early Tuesday, the weather service had downgraded the New York City area from a blizzard warning to a winter storm warning.
Snow began falling across the region Monday morning. Forecasters originally said the storm could bring up to 3 feet of snow and hurricane-force winds, but early Tuesday those expected totals had been lowered.
Boston and Providence, Rhode Island, could see the most total snowfall, up to 2 feet, according to the National Weather Service. New York City could see a total of between 10 and 20 inches, and Philadelphia and central New Jersey are expected to see less, about 6 inches.
Millions of people across the Northeast had hunkered down for the storm Monday, with officials banning travel, ordering workers home early and closing bridges and tunnels. New York City lifted its travel ban Tuesday morning.
In Chicago, snowfall tapered off before midnight, with some areas seeing accumulations of about half an inch of snow. The area may continue to see some freezing drizzle and possible flurries, according to the National Weather Service. Illinois State Police were warning motorists of icy roadways due to snow and freezing rain and urged travelers to be cautious.
Temperatures are expected to get into the lower 30s Tuesday with some light winds.
