NEW YORK – A powerful and relentless winter storm, named Devin, has brought the United States’ post-Christmas travel season to a grinding halt. From the Great Lakes to the Atlantic coast, the storm has blanketed major metropolitan areas in heavy snow and ice, leaving hundreds of thousands of holiday travelers stranded in airports and on gridlocked highways.
Airports Under Siege
The impact on air travel has been staggering. According to data from FlightAware, more than 1,800 flights were cancelled and over 22,000 delayed as of late Friday and early Saturday. The “Tri-State” area has borne the brunt of the disruption, with New York’s JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark Liberty airports accounting for more than half of all nationwide cancellations.
Airlines have struggled to maintain schedules as snowfall rates hit 1 to 2 inches per hour in some regions. JetBlue, which has a major hub in the Northeast, reported the highest number of cancellations, followed closely by Delta, American, and United. While carriers have proactively waived rebooking fees, many passengers are finding that the next available seats aren’t until well into the New Year.
States of Emergency Declared
In response to the deteriorating conditions, New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New Jersey Acting Governor Tahesha Way have both declared States of Emergency.
”This storm is creating life-threatening conditions on our roads,” Governor Hochul warned. “We are urging everyone: if you do not have to be on the roads, stay home. Give our plow crews the space they need to clear the way.”
The National Weather Service (NWS) reported that some areas in upstate New York and New England have seen up to 11 inches of snow, the highest accumulation for the region in over four years.
A Coast-to-Coast Crisis
While the Northeast grapples with the “deep freeze,” the weather crisis is not limited to the Atlantic coast. In California, record-breaking torrential rains have triggered flash floods and landslides, claiming at least three lives. This “atmospheric river” event has complicated the national travel picture, as delays in the West ripple through to East Coast hubs.
Ground Transport and Commuters
It isn’t just the skies that are affected. Amtrak has modified several schedules along the Northeast Corridor, and commercial vehicle restrictions have been implemented on major interstates in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In New York City, the MTA deployed thousands of standard buses fitted with snow chains after pulling articulated “bendy” buses from the streets to prevent jackknifing.
Looking Ahead
Forecasters expect the heaviest snowfall to ease by Saturday afternoon, but the “ripple effect” of the cancellations is expected to persist through the weekend. Saturday was projected to be the busiest travel day of the year, with an estimated 2.86 million people expected to pass through U.S. checkpoints—a goal that now seems impossible to reach.
For millions of Americans, the “Holidays at Home” have turned into a long wait at the boarding gate.