Winter storm disrupts travel at several US airports; over 1,800 flights cancelled

Several airlines across the United States cancelled or delayed thousands of flights on Friday as severe winter storms disrupted travel during the peak holiday season.

Flight-tracking website FlightAware reported that as of 4:04 pm ET, at least 1,802 flights had been cancelled and more than 22,300 delayed nationwide.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued winter storm warnings for large parts of the country, warning of hazardous travel conditions from the Great Lakes to the northern Mid-Atlantic and southern New England through Saturday morning.

A winter storm warning was in effect from New York City through northeast New Jersey, the Lower Hudson Valley, and parts of Long Island and Connecticut. Some areas could receive up to 10 inches of snow in the heaviest bands, the NWS said.

Nearly half of the flight disruptions were concentrated around New York City’s three major airports — LaGuardia, John F. Kennedy International, and Newark Liberty International. Detroit and Boston airports also reported significant delays and cancellations. Several airports issued advisories on social media platform X, cautioning travellers about possible disruptions.

New York City issued a travel advisory for the duration of the storm, citing cold temperatures that could limit snowmelt and increase the risk of slippery and dangerous road conditions, Bloomberg reported.

“Road conditions will be treacherous for those travelling back from the holiday,” the weather service warned.

Elsewhere, a mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow was expected to create hazardous travel conditions from the Great Lakes to New England and the Mid-Atlantic through Saturday morning. Parts of the upper Midwest were forecast to see snow and ice as cold air moved south from Canada.

Later in the weekend, a stronger cold front is expected to move across the Northeast, including the Washington area, potentially bringing blustery conditions. Parts of western Pennsylvania are under threat of an ice storm, which could cause power outages and further disrupt travel, according to Bloomberg.

Despite the cold weather, power grids have not shown signs of stress so far. However, colder temperatures have pushed up U.S. natural gas prices, with futures rising as much as 3.3% on Friday.