US winter storms cripple holiday travel, over 1800 flights cancelled, emergencies declared

Severe winter storms sweeping across large parts of the United States have paralysed peak holiday travel, grounding thousands of flights, clogging highways and forcing multiple states to declare emergencies as heavy snow and ice spread from the Great Lakes to the Northeast and the West, according to Reuters and the National Weather Service.

By Friday afternoon, at least 1,802 flights had been cancelled and more than 22,000 delayed nationwide, flight-tracking website FlightAware showed, as hazardous weather intensified across major travel corridors.

AIRPORTS ACROSS NORTHEAST, MIDWEST HIT HARD

Major airports serving New York, including John F Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport, along with Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, warned travellers of significant disruptions as snowfall worsened, Reuters reported.

JetBlue Airways cancelled the highest number of flights, followed by Delta Air Lines, Republic Airways, American Airlines and United Airlines. By Friday night, cancellations had exceeded 1,600 nationwide, with more than 7,400 delays reported, according to FlightAware data cited by the BBC.

Airports across the region urged passengers to check flight statuses before heading to terminals as conditions deteriorated.

WINTER STORM DEVIN BRINGS WIDESPREAD SNOW

The National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings for Winter Storm Devin, warning of dangerous travel conditions across the Great Lakes, northern Mid-Atlantic and southern New England through Saturday morning.

Forecasters warned that much of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut could receive between 4 and 9 inches of snow, with some areas facing higher totals. Snow was expected to intensify overnight before easing early Saturday, increasing the risk of icy roads and near-zero visibility, as per the National Weather Service.

STATES OF EMERGENCY DECLARED

New York and New Jersey declared states of emergency as snowfall spread rapidly across the region. New York Governor Kathy Hochul warned that widespread accumulation was expected across New York City and surrounding areas, urging residents to avoid unnecessary travel, reported Reuters.

New Jersey and Pennsylvania imposed restrictions on commercial vehicles on several highways, warning that hazardous road conditions could severely impact holiday travel. Officials across the Northeast repeated calls for drivers to delay non-essential journeys.

SNOWFALL THREATENS HEAVIEST ACCUMULATION

Forecasters warned that New York City could face its heaviest snowfall in more than three years, with some parts of the state expected to receive up to 11 inches of snow, according to a report from The New York Times.

Mayor Eric Adams warned that parts of the city could see snowfall rates exceeding two inches per hour at times, as snowploughs and sanitation crews prepared for extended operations. The city deployed hundreds of salt spreaders and ploughs, while public transport agencies shifted to storm-ready schedules, reported the New York Post.

STORM ALERTS STRETCH COAST TO COAST

The National Weather Service said winter storm warnings and advisories now span a vast swathe of the country, covering parts of California, Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, the Midwest and much of the eastern United States.

In California, forecasters warned that higher elevations in Mono County could receive between 1 and 3 feet of snow, while lower elevations and key highways faced dangerous accumulation, as per the National Weather Service's report.

PILE-UPS REPORTED ON CALIFORNIA HIGHWAYS

Winter weather triggered major disruption on Interstate 80 in the Sierra Nevada during Christmas and Christmas Eve, with multiple spinouts, collisions and dozens of motorists stranded, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The patrol shared footage showing vehicles trapped near Castle Peak, where a multi-vehicle pile-up over Donner Summit forced traffic to be halted on Christmas night. Eastbound traffic was held for hours as crews worked to clear the scene.

Officials had warned motorists days earlier that heavy snow, strong winds and near-zero visibility would rapidly worsen road conditions. Despite chain controls and repeated advisories, USA Today reported that the authorities responded to numerous incidents as holiday traffic continued through the storm.

HOLIDAY TRAVEL MEETS LA NIA VOLATILITY

The storms coincided with a surge in holiday travel, with more than 109 million Americans expected to drive long distances between December 20 and January 1, while around 8 million were projected to fly, according to the American Automobile Association, figures cited by Reuters.

Meteorologists linked the volatile weather to the return of La Nia, a climate pattern associated with unstable winter conditions. Experts warned that further swings between heavy snow, ice and freezing temperatures are likely in the weeks ahead.

As winter tightened its grip, authorities across the country urged travellers to slow down, plan ahead and prepare for continued disruption as storms continue to batter the United States.