Aviation operations ground to a halt throughout the northeastern United States on Monday as a severe winter storm delivered heavy snowfall and fierce winds to the region.
Flight disruptions mounted rapidly during Monday morning hours. By approximately 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time, close to 5,500 flights traveling to or from the United States had been cancelled, data from FlightAware showed. Additional hundreds of flights faced delays.
John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport in New York experienced the most significant number of cancellations on Monday, with airports in Boston, Newark, New Jersey, and Philadelphia following close behind.
Weather officials described driving conditions as “extremely treacherous” and “nearly impossible” throughout the areas most severely impacted by the winter weather system.
The storm’s effects extended well beyond aviation disruptions, as millions of residents remained confined to their homes under mandatory travel restrictions during blizzard warnings. Sunday evening brought emergency alerts to mobile phones throughout New York City, announcing a prohibition on non-essential street travel lasting until Monday at noon due to “dangerous blizzard conditions.” Both Rhode Island and New Jersey enacted comparable travel limitations.
