The opening of Sunday’s Air and Water Show has been delayed after thunderstorms pounded the Chicago area Sunday morning.
The show was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. but has been pushed back to noon due to lightning in the area, the Chicago Office of Emergency Management said.
The show will be abbreviated due to the weather but may run longer than its scheduled 3 p.m. end time to make up for the delays, city officials said.
The Chicago Department for Cultural Affairs said the show will not be canceled, despite the delays.
Good morning all. #ChiAirandWater is NOT cancelled today although there may be delays.
— Chicago DCASE (@ChicagoDCASE) August 18, 2019
For the safety of the pilots, any delays or changes are decided minute-by-minute so stay close to this Twitter and the Air & Water Facebook for updates.@NorthAveBeach
The National Weather Service had issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the area until 1 p.m. but canceled it as skies began to clear.
Nearly 440 flights have been canceled at O’Hare International Airport while 44 have been canceled at Midway Airport, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation. Flights are delayed by an average of about an hour at O’Hare and about 15 minutes at Midway.
The eastbound entrance to Interstate 290 near Mannheim Road is closed due to the rain, Illinois State Police said.
