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MILWAUKEE - At Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, travelers felt the ripple effect of the winter storm Friday – operations slowed down, and some flights were canceled or delayed, as crews worked to ensure planes could safely land and take off.
It takes crews roughly 20 minutes to clear a runway. During snow events, the airport only uses one runway to allow the crews to focus their efforts and work with air traffic controllers to time the clearing of snow between flights.
There are also ways the operation can track not just inbound planes and those on the ground, but also all the operations equipment at any given time.
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While municipalities use things like salt to prevent snow and ice buildup, that's not the case at airports. Salt and other chemicals can be corrosive – a problem for planes. Instead, there is a lot of manual labor and massive pieces of equipment.
"They’re working 12-hour shifts, with limited restroom breaks, but they’ve been doing a great job keeping us open today," said Harold Mester, airport spokesperson.
Flight status
- Check Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport departures
- Check Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport arrivals
Continued winter storm coverage
- Wisconsin winter storm warning; what you need to know
- Snowfall totals: Wisconsin winter storm Jan. 12-13
- Power outages: We Energies responds to thousands of reports
- Pictures: Snowstorm hits southeast Wisconsin on Jan. 12-13
- Milwaukee Mitchell Airport flight cancellations, delays Friday
- SE Wisconsin road conditions deteriorating; snow moving through
- Milwaukee DPW: Winter storm, snowfall impacts residents need to know
- Waukesha County snow emergency, officials: 'stay at home'
- Wisconsin snowstorm; proper shoveling technique from powerlifter
FOX6 Weather Extras
Meanwhile, FOX6Now.com offers a variety of extremely useful weather tools to help you navigate the stormy season. They include the following:
FOX6 Storm Center app
FOX6 News app
FOX Weather app
FOX Weather
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Maps and radar
We have a host of maps and radars on the FOX6 Weather page that are updating regularly — to provide you the most accurate assessment of the weather. From a county-by-county view to the Midwest regional radar and a national view — it’s all there.
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School and business closings
When the weather gets a little dicey, schools and businesses may shut down. Monitor the latest list of closings, cancellations, and delays reported in southeast Wisconsin.
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