On Saturday, winter storms led to thousands of flight delays and hundreds of cancellations across the United States, as travelers were cautioned to anticipate a second storm during one of the year’s peak travel seasons.
The Northeast is seeing the conclusion of Friday’s storm, with the National Weather Service having issued winter advisories across New York and Connecticut. Light snowfall and wind could continue throughout Saturday in the region, with temperatures near or below freezing in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh, and throughout the Northeast.
Hundreds of flights canceled
Just before noon on Saturday, nearly 800 domestic and international U.S. flights were canceled, with almost 4,000 delays. On Friday, over 1,700 flights were canceled and more than 9,000 were delayed, according to the flight-tracking website .
Friday’s storm hit New York’s three major metropolitan airports particularly hard. Saturday morning flights to John F. Kennedy International Airport experienced average delays of two hours, according to the , while LaGuardia and Newark Liberty International airports faced ground delays extending into midday Saturday.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency on Friday in anticipation of the heaviest snowfall in nearly four years. New Jersey also issued a state of emergency.
In Michigan, ice accumulation on power lines and trees left over 30,000 homes and businesses without power. New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey reported only a few thousand outages, according to .
The in the Northeast reached 11 inches in Hartwick, New York, and slightly more than eight inches in Connecticut.
Second storm expected to bring more snow
A second storm system is anticipated to cross the nation starting late Sunday through Monday, delivering additional snow, strong winds, and rain to various U.S. regions.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) forecasts that Sunday will be the year’s busiest travel day, with approximately 2.86 million passengers. Last year’s busiest day occurred around the same period, on December 27, when the TSA processed just under 2.85 million travelers.
The upcoming storm is not anticipated to be as intense as Friday’s. Rain is expected across much of the Midwest and Northeast, from Kansas through Ohio and Pennsylvania. The system is projected to move eastward later Sunday, bringing rain to most areas and freezing rain to northern New England. The Colorado Rockies and northern New Mexico could see up to 18 inches of snow.
Snow is likely to continue through Monday in the Great Lakes region, accompanied by strong winds in Canada’s Quebec province. However, most of the U.S. can expect dry conditions leading into New Year’s Eve after Sunday’s storms.
What to do if your flight is delayed
According to the (DOT), passengers are eligible for full refunds if they opt not to travel or decline compensation through credits or vouchers. When flights are delayed or canceled due to weather, airlines are not obligated to provide additional services like hotel accommodations, as weather events are deemed beyond their control.
The DOT’s allows travellers to see which airlines have offers following flight cancellations and delays.
Numerous airlines provide complimentary waivers for passengers impacted by severe weather, permitting free rebooking or cancellations without penalties. Spokespeople from American Airlines, United Airlines, and JetBlue, for example, told that they have waived change-fees for rebooking on flights that may be affected by the winter weather.
