CHICAGO — Being in the Midwest won't save Chicago from the effects of Hurricane Sandy battering the East Coast, even if the conditions here aren't as severe.
Sandy first hit the East Coast on Monday, when it made landfall on the New Jersey shore with 80 mph winds.
Remnants of the devastating storm are drifting into the Chicago area, according to the National Weather Service.
A flood warning for Lake Michigan was issued for the Chicago region by the NWS early Tuesday. The warning is in effect through 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Lake winds could hit 50 to 55 miles per hour, and waves could reach 18-23 feet, according to the NWS. The more vulnerable spots along the shore are the bike path and parts of South Shore Drive, as well as piers and break walls that extend into the lake, the NWS said.
City officials are urging people to stay off of the Lake Shore bike path between Oak and Ohio streets because of high waves. Parts of Navy Pier are closed, and high-rise building residents are urged by city officials to remove items from their balcony that could blow away, ABC 7 reported.
As of 7:30 a.m., O'Hare International Airport had canceled 270 flights to and from the East Coast, and Midway International Airport had canceled 75 flights, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation.
The Atlantic seaboard has experienced massive flooding and bruising winds in what President Barack Obama recently declared a state of emergency in several East Coast states, including the nation's capital, CNN reported.
At least 16 people have died in the U.S. and 7.5 million people are without power because of the superstorm, according to the Chicago Tribune. In the Caribbean, 66 deaths have been reported to far, according to the Tribune.
