A ground stop remains in effect at O'Hare Airport Friday afternoon, and delays continued to spike at both airports as several inches of lake-effect snow blanketed the Chicago area. The ground stop, issued about 2:10 p.m. Friday, remained in effect for departures at O'Hare, due to snow or ice, accord ing to the Federal Aviation Administration. It was 17 degrees and snowing at O'Hare, where delays were averaging about an hour and five minutes and increasing, according to FlightAware. Delays to arrivals are averaging 45 minutes. Meanwhile at Midway, departure delays are about 35 minutes and increasing, according to the site. The first stretch of lake-effect snow — which occurs when cold air passes over warm waters and transfers moisture into the lowest part of the atmosphere — began around 9 a.m. Friday and was supposed to taper off by early afternoon before picking back up Friday evening into Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. Areas closer to the lakefront could see 4 to 6 inches of snow overall, while O'Hare and Midway airports are expected to get closer to 2 to 4 inches, the weather service said. A winter weather advisory is in effect until 4 p.m. Saturday for Cook, DuPage, Lake and southern Will counties, according to the weather service. A winter storm watch will then go into effect at 6 p.m. Friday until noon Saturday for the same counties. A winter storm warning was in effect for northwest Indiana, where snowfall totals could reach double digits. Snowfall rates could reach over 2 inches per hour overnight and could make for hazardous travel conditions. "These lake effect bands are always a little tricky because they're so narrow and ... they kind of wobble back and forth a lot, and it's kind of tough to get a handle on," Kevin Doom, a meteorologist with the weather service, said. Doom advised against traveling during the storms due to the reduced visibility, but urged drivers to use caution if they have to commute. "You will experience some pretty unfavorable travel, for sure," Doom said. ...read more read less