A formidable winter storm swept across parts of the United States over the weekend, dumping heavy snow and causing significant disruptions to travel and power grids. From Friday evening through Saturday, residents in affected areas experienced the full force of the storm’s impact.
The storm concentrated its efforts on the US Northeast and Great Lakes regions. Air travel was severely hampered, with flight-tracking services reporting over 5,580 flights delayed and more than 860 canceled by Saturday afternoon. Airports in the New York metropolitan area were particularly hard-hit, with JFK International Airport seeing flight delays of roughly two hours on Saturday morning. Warnings were issued for the affected areas, including New York and Philadelphia, urging caution for all travelers and residents.
This period of intense weather coincided with the lead-up to the most congested travel day of the holiday season, with millions of passengers expected to fly on Sunday. The storm’s destructive path also led to power outages, affecting over 30,000 homes and businesses in Michigan on Saturday morning due to icy conditions damaging power lines. Officials in New York and New Jersey had proactively declared states of emergency, issuing important guidance to the public regarding travel advisories, road conditions, and necessary safety precautions.