Snowstorm triggers 400 flight cancellations across New York

Dubai: A winter storm bearing down on the US Northeast has brought air travel to a standstill across New York City’s major airports, creating chaos for thousands of holiday travellers.

Flight tracking site FlightAware reported at least 400 cancellations and dozens of delays as of Friday morning across LaGuardia, John F. Kennedy and Newark airports. Airlines began cancelling flights overnight as forecasters warned of heavy snow and wind speeds set to pick up through Saturday.

Snow to intensify Friday evening

The US National Weather Service expects snow accumulations of between four and eight inches across New York City, Long Island and nearby areas, with the heaviest period from Friday afternoon through late Saturday morning. Temperatures will remain below freezing, making roadways slick and reducing visibility.

“It’s going to start snowing tomorrow and we want you to be prepared,” New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM) wrote in an update on Thursday. The agency warned of difficult road conditions and urged residents to limit travel as flurries develop into more intense snow by evening.

City agencies activate emergency plans

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said all departments are on alert under the city’s Winter Weather Emergency Plan. “As New Yorkers continue to celebrate the holidays and prepare to celebrate the new year, they should also prepare for hazardous travel conditions Friday into Saturday,” he said. “Avoid driving if possible, give yourself extra travel time on public transit, and stay alert to changing conditions.”

Sanitation crews began pretreating roads early Friday with salt spreaders, with ploughs standing by for deployment. Acting Sanitation Commissioner Javier Lojan said operations were moving in advance of the storm. “This forecast calls for snow during what is already a heavy travel weekend. DSNY began our operations well in advance of this storm, and we are ready for whatever comes our way. Please stay off the roads and know that collection delays are possible as we work to get roads safe and clear,” he said.

Dangerous conditions for travellers

Across the five boroughs, the city has stationed 71 emergency staff on round‑the‑clock duty to help clear roads and coordinate responses. Property owners have been reminded to clear sidewalks promptly to keep pedestrian paths open. Failure to do so could incur fines.

Snow is set to taper off by midday Saturday though icy patches could linger into Sunday. Forecasts suggest a stronger cold front will sweep across the region before the New Year, possibly bringing freezing rain to western Pennsylvania and blustery conditions through Washington and Philadelphia.

“This is the busiest travel weekend of the year, and the conditions could cause widespread delays,” said Richard Bann, forecaster at the US Weather Prediction Center. “With temperatures staying low, we don’t expect much melting until after the storm clears.”

Ripple effects across region

Philadelphia, southern Connecticut and northeastern New Jersey remain under winter weather advisories. The storm, moving east into the mid‑Atlantic by early Saturday, may shift into freezing rain as it tracks offshore.

Mayor Adams urged New Yorkers to stay patient as the city works through the conditions. “Our emergency services, sanitation and transit teams are prepared, but we need everyone to take this seriously. The goal is simple, keep the city safe and keep people home until the snow clears.”

For now, travellers trying to depart New York on holiday breaks face widespread disruption, and airlines are warning that delays may continue into the weekend as crews work to de‑ice planes and clear runways once the storm passes.

- With inputs from Bloomberg.