More than 1,800 flights within, into, or out of the United States were canceled as of early Monday due to a large weather system disrupting air travel nationwide, according to data from FlightAware and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The storm affected major hubs including New York, Chicago, and Atlanta, amid the busy spring break travel season.
Widespread Disruptions at Major Airports
The New York metropolitan area reported significant cancellations, with 149 flights canceled at LaGuardia, 88 at John F. Kennedy International, 63 at Boston Logan, and 27 at Newark Liberty airports. Chicago O’Hare International experienced 133 canceled departures and 202 arrivals canceled. Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson, Baltimore/Washington, and Orlando International airports also faced cancellations and delays.
FlightAware data showed several airlines heavily impacted: Endeavor Air with 278 cancellations, Southwest Airlines 265, Delta Air Lines 231, American Airlines 181, Republic 171, and SkyWest 156.
FAA Ground Stops and Severe Weather Forecast
The FAA imposed ground stops at Atlanta and Charlotte Douglas airports due to thunderstorms, while Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport faced average ground delays of 148 minutes from high winds. Additional ground stops and delay programs were anticipated later Monday at Chicago O’Hare, Washington-area airports, New York’s JFK, and Boston Logan as the storm moved eastward.
FOX Weather issued a Level 4 out of 5 severe weather risk for the East Coast, forecasting damaging winds up to 80 mph and potential tornadoes from the Mid-Atlantic to the Carolinas. The Midwest and Great Lakes region experienced historic snowfall, with Green Bay, Wisconsin recording 14.8 inches—the largest in 137 years—and Spalding, Michigan reporting 26 inches.
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