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US snowstorm affects 1500 flights even as the weather relents
New York City received around four inches of snow from Friday night into early Saturday, which was slightly less than what some forecasts had predicted.
The US winter storms caused more than a thousand flights to be cancelled or delayed across the Northeast and Great Lakes regions due to snow from Friday night into early Saturday during the peak holiday travel season.
New York City received around four inches of snow from Friday night into early Saturday, which was slightly less than what some forecasts had predicted.
According to flight-tracking service FlightAware, at least 1,500 flights were cancelled from Friday night. Travellers got some relief on Saturday morning as both the roads and skies seemed to be clearing.
“The storm is definitely winding down, a little bit of flurries across the Northeast this morning," a forecaster at the National Weather Service told Associated Press.
According to the forecaster quoted in the AP report, the storm was quick-moving from the northwest toward the Southeast US, with the largest snowfall in the New York City area reaching over six inches (15 centimetres) in central eastern Long Island.
Some communities saw as much as 10 inches (25 centimetres) of snowfall.
Newark Liberty International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport posted snow warnings on the social media platform X on Friday, cautioning that weather conditions could cause flight disruptions.
Snowstorm weakening in New York, New Jersey
The National Weather Service had issued a warning of hazardous travel conditions from the Great Lakes through the northern mid-Atlantic and southern New England, with the potential for tree damage and power outages. Forecasters, however, said that the storm was expected to weaken by Saturday morning.
In Times Square on Saturday, workers in red jumpsuits worked to clear the sludge and powder-coated streets and sidewalks using shovels and snowblowers.
Ahead of the storm, New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for more than half of the state. Acting New Jersey governor Tahesha Way declared a state of emergency for all of the state, “due to a severe winter storm causing dangerous weather conditions, including heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain.”
“This storm will cause dangerous road conditions and impact holiday travel," Way said in a statement.
"We are urging travellers to avoid travel during the storm and allow crews to tend to the roads. Drivers should plan their travel accordingly, monitor conditions and road closures, and follow all safety protocols,” the statement added.
