AIR travel across the United States was heavily disrupted during the peak holiday period on Friday as powerful winter storms brought snow, freezing temperatures and flooding, prompting airlines to cancel about 1,500 flights nationwide.
AFP reported on Saturday that the disruption came as more than 40 million Americans were placed under winter storm warnings or weather advisories a day after Christmas. A further 30 million people were affected by flood or storm advisories in California, where a so-called atmospheric river has unleashed days of heavy rain.
By 4pm US Eastern time, at least 1,490 flights had been cancelled and more than 5,900 delayed, according to the flight-tracking website FlightAware. Airports in New York and Chicago ranked among the worst affected on the site’s “Misery Map”, which tracks travel disruption across the country.
New York City, the largest in the US, was preparing for up to 10 inches, or 25 centimetres, of snowfall overnight, the heaviest in four years. Forecasters warned that temperatures would continue to fall and remain low into the weekend as an Arctic blast moves south from Canada.
The National Weather Service said snowfall across the upper Great Lakes region was expected to push eastwards into the north-east. “Difficult travel conditions are ongoing for the area and those traveling from the holiday should exercise caution if you have to be on the road,” it said.
New York Mayor Eric Adams said a winter storm warning was in effect and confirmed that city crews had been deployed to clear and plough roads. New York’s three main airports accounted for about 850 cancelled flights, according to FlightAware.
Weather warnings were also issued for Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Connecticut, as well as parts of Michigan, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
On the west coast, California continued to grapple with the effects of intense rainfall earlier in the week, although forecasters said conditions were expected to improve over the weekend. Flooding linked to the storms forced the temporary closure of Santa Barbara Airport, northwest of Los Angeles.
Airport authorities said the facility reopened by Friday morning after crews worked through the night to clear standing water from the runways, as the state began to dry out following days of severe weather. - December 27, 2025
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