How often does MDW have ground stops?

GroundStop.app recorded 7 ground stops at MDW in the last 90 days, lasting 3 hr 5 min on average (longest 5 hr 42 min). That ranks tied #31 of 66 airports with ground stops.

What causes ground stops at MDW?

Recently the most common reasons at MDW were thunderstorms. Nationally, thunderstorms, low ceilings and visibility, wind, high traffic volume, equipment outages and runway issues are the usual causes.

Which air traffic control center handles MDW?

MDW is in the airspace of Chicago Center (ZAU), one of the US Air Route Traffic Control Centers.

Is weather affecting MDW right now?

There are no weather alerts for the MDW area. Current conditions are VFR (wind 060° 11 kt · vis 10+ mi · ceiling 3,400 ft).

Which airports are near Chicago Midway (MDW)?

The closest airports with pages on GroundStop.app are Chicago O'Hare (ORD, 15 mi), Milwaukee Mitchell (MKE, 81 mi), Madison Dane County (MSN, 124 mi) and Grand Rapids (GRR, 137 mi). In the last 90 days ORD had 50 ground stops, DTW had 7 ground stops.

What is the difference between a ground stop and a ground delay program?

A ground stop halts departures to an airport entirely until it is lifted. A ground delay program lets flights depart but assigns them later departure times to meter arrivals.

Chicago Midway (MDW) delays and ground stop status

Chicago, IL · in Chicago Center (ZAU) airspace

Listen to ATC

There is no ground stop at MDW, although the operations plan lists one as possible as of Oct 15, 05:10 UTC.

Chicago Midway (MDW, ICAO KMDW) serves Chicago, IL and sits in Chicago Center (ZAU) airspace. Local time there is Thu, 1:41 AM CDT. In the last 90 days GroundStop.app recorded 7 ground stops at MDW, ranking tied #31 of 66 airports with ground stops (0.9% of 791 ground stops nationwide). A typical (median) ground stop there lasted 3 hr 12 min, against 1 hr 23 min nationally. The most recent began on Sep 19 (Eastern time), citing thunderstorms.

No ground stop at MDW right now, but one is possible

The operations plan lists a possible ground stop. Updated Oct 15, 05:10 UTC.

PlannedORD/MDW GROUND STOP/DELAY PROGRAM POSSIBLE (after 18:00 UTC (1:00 PM CDT))

Weather nowVFRWind 060° 11 kt · Vis 10+ mi · Ceiling 3,400 ft

Delay outlook · 12 hHigh

Low clouds or poor visibility forecast 10:00 AM CDT–12:10 PM CDT could cause delays, with possible traffic management after 11:00 AM CDT

Operations plan lists a possible ground stop after 1:00 PM CDT
Low clouds or poor visibility forecast 10:00 AM CDT–1:41 PM CDT
Operations plan lists possible reroutes or traffic management after 11:00 AM CDT
7 ground stops here in the last 90 days

Check your flight

Enter your flight number to see its EDCT, the ground stop or delay program at its destination, and its status.

Airport map

Runways, taxiways, terminals and gates at Chicago Midway, with aircraft on the ground and arriving or departing. Click a plane for its flight.

Delays now

Delay data unavailable right now.

Departures and arrivals

Flights at MDW from an hour ago to the next several hours, local time. Late means 15+ minutes behind schedule.

Board unavailable right now.

Refreshed every few minutes. Times are scheduled, with estimated or actual times below when they differ.

Weather at MDW

Current conditions and weather alerts

VFRgood conditions

Wind 060° 11 kt · Vis 10+ mi · Ceiling 3,400 ft

METAR KMDW 150453Z 06011KT 10SM FEW021 OVC034 16/12 A3017 RMK AO2 SLP212 T01610117

Observed Oct 15, 04:53 UTC (KMDW)

No weather alerts for this airport's area.

Full forecast at weather.gov

Weather briefing

Clear now, low clouds and rain expected Thursday

Delays likely

Now: Mostly clear skies with a steady breeze from the northeast around 13 mph and clouds about 3,400 feet up.

Later: Clouds lower and thicken after 5 AM Thursday, with showers starting around 8 AM. From about 10 AM through 8 PM, low clouds, rain, and mist are expected, with a 30% chance of even lower clouds and fog-like mist from 3 PM to 8 PM. Conditions improve after 10 PM.

Low clouds and rain Thursday 10 AM to 8 PM could cause delays
30% chance of much worse conditions Thursday 3 to 8 PM
Conditions should begin improving late Thursday night

AI-written · may contain mistakes. Written from the latest METAR, TAF and weather alerts. Not for flight planning.

Forecast for MDW

Model forecast in local time (CDT). For official aviation forecasts, see the TAF.

Next 24 hours

Now61°6G1419%
1 AM62°6G1418%
2 AM62°7G1517%
3 AM61°7G1516%
4 AM61°7G1216%
5 AM60°7G1216%
6 AM60°7G1217%
7 AM60°7G1217%
8 AM60°635%
9 AM60°518%
10 AM60°561%
11 AM59°531%
12 PM60°564%
1 PM59°466%
2 PM59°5G1271%
3 PM59°585%
4 PM59°488%
5 PM59°495%
6 PM60°394%
7 PM61°173%
8 PM61°4G1342%
9 PM61°7G2139%
10 PM61°8G2231%
11 PM60°8G1933%

Wind in knots (arrow shows where it blows) · chance of rain or snow

TodayOvercast · 88% · wind to 8 kt59° / 62°
FriPatchy rain nearby · 43% · wind to 12 kt48° / 59°
SatSunny · wind to 10 kt42° / 56°

Sunrise 7:03 AM Sunset 6:10 PM

TAF summary

Terminal forecast for MDW, valid 15/0300Z to 16/0600Z (UTC)

15/0300Z–1000Z
04012KT · 6+ mi · SCT 2,500, BKN 3,000, OVC 3,500
MVFR
15/1000Z–1300Z · From
08010KT · 6+ mi · BKN 2,500, OVC 3,500
MVFR
15/1300Z–1500Z · From
10009KT · 6+ mi · BKN 1,500, OVC 3,000 · nearby showers
MVFR
15/1500Z–0100Z · From
12011KT · 4 mi · SCT 400, OVC 700 · light showers rain, mist
IFR
15/2000Z–0100Z · 30% chance
1 mi · BKN 400 · rain, mist
LIFR
16/0100Z–0300Z · From
22006KT · 2 mi · OVC 400 · light showers rain, light showers drizzle, mist
LIFR
16/0300Z–0600Z · From
29010KT · 5 mi · BKN 600, OVC 2,500 · light showers rain, mist
IFR

Decoded table and raw TAF

MDW history, forecast and airspace

Ground stops at MDW

Recorded by GroundStop.app, last 90 days

Last 30 days: 2
Last 90 days: 7
Average length: 3 hr 5 min
Longest: 5 hr 42 min

Most common reasons

thunderstorms · 7

MDW ground stop patterns

Last 90 days, against every airport with a recorded ground stop. Times are local (America/Chicago).

National rank: #31 of 66 (tied)
Share of all ground stops: 0.9% of 791
Median length: 3 hr 12 min; 1 hr 23 min nationally
Most common start: morning; 6 AM–noon
Busiest day: Wednesday
Latest ground stop: Sep 19; thunderstorms

Start time, local (7 stops with a known start)

overnight midnight–6 AM2
morning 6 AM–noon3
afternoon noon–6 PM1
evening 6 PM–midnight1

Recent ground stops at MDW

Started	Length	Reason
Sep 19, 10:38 UTC	2 hr 16 min	thunderstorms
Sep 17, 10:27 UTC	3 hr 48 min	thunderstorms
Sep 2, 23:45 UTC	3 hr 12 min	thunderstorms
Aug 12, 14:45 UTC	1 hr 10 min	thunderstorms
Aug 11, 15:00 UTC	2 hr 6 min	thunderstorms
Aug 9, 17:55 UTC	3 hr 20 min	thunderstorms
Jul 27, 16:52 UTC	5 hr 42 min	thunderstorms

Every ground stop at MDW → · Replay the latest on the map

Forecast for MDW (TAF)

Issued 15/0258Z · valid 15/0300Z to 16/0600Z · times are UTC (Z)

When	Change	Category	Wind	Visibility	Clouds	Weather
15/0300Z–1000Z	Base	MVFR	04012KT	6+ mi	SCT 2,500, BKN 3,000, OVC 3,500	—
15/1000Z–1300Z	From	MVFR	08010KT	6+ mi	BKN 2,500, OVC 3,500	—
15/1300Z–1500Z	From	MVFR	10009KT	6+ mi	BKN 1,500, OVC 3,000	nearby showers
15/1500Z–0100Z	From	IFR	12011KT	4 mi	SCT 400, OVC 700	light showers rain, mist
15/2000Z–0100Z	30% chance	LIFR	—	1 mi	BKN 400	rain, mist
16/0100Z–0300Z	From	LIFR	22006KT	2 mi	OVC 400	light showers rain, light showers drizzle, mist
16/0300Z–0600Z	From	IFR	29010KT	5 mi	BKN 600, OVC 2,500	light showers rain, mist

TAF KMDW 150258Z 1503/1606 04012KT P6SM SCT025 BKN030 OVC035 FM151000 08010KT P6SM BKN025 OVC035 FM151300 10009KT P6SM VCSH BKN015 OVC030 FM151500 12011KT 4SM -SHRA BR SCT004 OVC007 PROB30 1520/1601 1SM RA BR BKN004 FM160100 22006KT 2SM -SHRADZ BR OVC004 FM160300 29010KT 5SM -SHRA BR BKN006 OVC025

White outline: Chicago Center. Open the live map

Other airports in Chicago Center

GRRGrand Rapids MKEMilwaukee Mitchell MSNMadison Dane County ORDChicago O'Hare

About Chicago Midway

MDW at a glance

IATA / FAA code: MDW
ICAO code: KMDW
Location: Chicago, IL, United States
Coordinates: 41.7868° N, 87.7522° W
Time zone: America/Chicago · now Thu, 1:41 AM CDT
ATC center (ARTCC): Chicago Center (ZAU)
Ground stops, last 90 days: 7 (#31 of 66 airports)

Airports near MDW

Straight-line distance from MDW

ORD Chicago O'Hare
Chicago, IL · live ground stop status · 50 ground stops in 90 days
15 mi
24 km
MKE Milwaukee Mitchell
Milwaukee, WI · live ground stop status · 0 ground stops in 90 days
81 mi
130 km
MSN Madison Dane County
Madison, WI · live ground stop status · 0 ground stops in 90 days
124 mi
199 km
GRR Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids, MI · live ground stop status · 0 ground stops in 90 days
137 mi
220 km
IND Indianapolis
Indianapolis, IN · live ground stop status · 0 ground stops in 90 days
162 mi
261 km
DTW Detroit Metro
Detroit, MI · live ground stop status · 7 ground stops in 90 days
228 mi
366 km

MDW ground stop FAQ

Is there a ground stop at Chicago Midway (MDW) right now?: No. As of Oct 15, 05:10 UTC there is no ground stop at MDW, although the operations plan lists one as possible. This page updates every minute.
How often does MDW have ground stops?: GroundStop.app recorded 7 ground stops at MDW in the last 90 days, lasting 3 hr 5 min on average (longest 5 hr 42 min). That ranks tied #31 of 66 airports with ground stops.
What causes ground stops at MDW?: Recently the most common reasons at MDW were thunderstorms. Nationally, thunderstorms, low ceilings and visibility, wind, high traffic volume, equipment outages and runway issues are the usual causes.
Which air traffic control center handles MDW?: MDW is in the airspace of Chicago Center (ZAU), one of the US Air Route Traffic Control Centers.
Is weather affecting MDW right now?: There are no weather alerts for the MDW area. Current conditions are VFR (wind 060° 11 kt · vis 10+ mi · ceiling 3,400 ft).
Which airports are near Chicago Midway (MDW)?: The closest airports with pages on GroundStop.app are Chicago O'Hare (ORD, 15 mi), Milwaukee Mitchell (MKE, 81 mi), Madison Dane County (MSN, 124 mi) and Grand Rapids (GRR, 137 mi). In the last 90 days ORD had 50 ground stops, DTW had 7 ground stops.
What is the difference between a ground stop and a ground delay program?: A ground stop halts departures to an airport entirely until it is lifted. A ground delay program lets flights depart but assigns them later departure times to meter arrivals.

New to this? What is a ground stop? · Ground stop vs. ground delay program