As the Chicago area braced

for its first snowstorm of the season, people were being warned to stay off highways and expect widespread power outages as high winds whip up near blizzard conditions in some spots.

The approaching storm was also creating havoc at O'Hare and Midway airports on the eve of the busiest travel day of the holiday season.

• Airlines have canceled nearly 300 flights at O'Hare and more than 150 flights at Midway. Southwest Airlines scratched all of its flights scheduled after 4:30 p.m. today at Midway.

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