Snowfall in the US paralyses air traffic in the North East
A powerful winter storm that hit the Great Lakes region and the US Northeast has significantly hampered air travel during the peak post-Christmas period. On Friday and Saturday, hundreds of flights were cancelled at John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport, and delays affected flights across the country. This was reported by The Public with reference to CNN.
According to FlightAware, more than 10,000 flights within the US and internationally were delayed on Saturday, and more than 1,000 more were cancelled. On Sunday morning, more than 600 delays and about 140 cancellations were recorded. The situation threatens to drag on, as Sunday, according to the Transportation Security Administration, is the busiest travel day of the season.
In New York, city services prepared for the weather in advance by bringing out snowplows and treating roads. More than 10 centimetres of snow fell in Central Park, which was the highest for the city since January 2022. In the suburbs, particularly in Westchester, the snow layer reached 15 centimetres in some places. The highest precipitation was recorded in Connecticut, where more than 20 centimetres fell, and in some parts of New York up to 28 centimetres.
The effects of the storm were felt in other regions as well. In the state of Michigan, more than 30,000 homes and businesses were left without power due to icing. The National Weather Service warns that a new wave of bad weather with snow, strong winds and rain will hit the region starting on Sunday, and blizzards with snow cover of more than 30 centimetres and a sharp cold snap are possible in some areas.
