Over 1,500 Flights Cancelled as Winter Storm Devin Slams New York With Heaviest Snow in Nearly Four Years

More than 1,500 flights were cancelled across the United States on Friday as Winter Storm Devin battered New York City with its heaviest snowfall in nearly four years, causing chaos for post-Christmas travellers.

The storm dumped up to 10 inches (25.4 cm) of snow on parts of New York City overnight, with officials warning the accumulation could be the most significant since 7 January 2022, according to CNN.

A total of 1,581 flights within, into, or out of the US were cancelled and 6,883 delayed as of 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, Al Jazeera reported, citing data from FlightAware, the world's largest flight tracking company.

More than half of the cancellations occurred at New York's three major airports, with JFK International, Newark Liberty, and LaGuardia bearing the brunt of the disruption during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.

Airports Grind to Halt as Airlines Cancel Hundreds of Flights

On Friday alone, over 800 flights were cancelled at New York's three airports, ABC7 New York reported. Airlines scrambled to cancel additional flights for Saturday, with more than 180 cancelled at JFK, 100 at LaGuardia, and 101 at Newark as of Friday night.

JetBlue Airways led the cancellations amongst US carriers, scrapping 225 flights on Friday. Delta Air Lines followed with 212 cancellations, whilst Republic Airways cancelled 157 flights. American Airlines cancelled 146 and United Airlines 97, according to FlightAware data.

'Due to winter storm Devin, JetBlue has cancelled approximately 350 flights today and tomorrow, primarily in the Northeast where JetBlue has a large operation,' a JetBlue spokesperson told the Reuters news agency.

The disruption comes during a peak post-holiday travel period, with millions of Americans attempting to return home after Christmas celebrations.

States of Emergency Declared Across Northeast

New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency on Friday afternoon for counties bracing for the storm's impact, whilst New Jersey acting Governor Tahesha Way followed suit at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

More than 23 million people were under winter storm warnings through Saturday, with the alerts covering an area from New York City northeast into Connecticut, east to Long Island, and southwest into northern New Jersey.

The National Weather Service warned the storm, described by meteorologists as an 'Alberta Clipper on steroids', would bring heavy snow at rates of 1 to 2 inches (2.54 to 5.08 cm) per hour during its peak intensity. A narrow zone of 8 to 12 inches (20.3 to 30.5 cm) of snow was predicted to fall from Long Island into Connecticut and parts of New York State north of the city.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced in a press conference that forecasts predicted the city could see up to 11 inches (28 cm) of snow, particularly in northeast Queens and northern areas. City workers prepared for days, with additional staff on standby, streets salted, plows readied, and ferries closed early ahead of the heavy snowfall.

Power Outages and Treacherous Conditions Across Region

The storm's impact extended well beyond New York. More than 40,000 homes and businesses lost power in Michigan as ice weighed on trees and power lines, according to poweroutage.us.

An ice storm warning was issued for western Pennsylvania, where accumulations of 0.2 to 0.3 inches (0.5 to 0.76 cm) were expected, enough to cause damage to trees and power lines. 'Power outages and tree damage are likely due to the ice. Travel could be nearly impossible,' the National Weather Service stated.

Philadelphia was expected to see a heavy mix of snow, sleet, freezing rain and rain, with the potential for 1 to 3 inches (2.54 to 7.62 cm) of snow and sleet accumulation. A winter weather advisory was in effect for the city, where the fast-moving storm brought a wintry mix throughout Friday.

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont advised motorists not to travel on Friday evening, whilst New Jersey announced travel restrictions for some commercial vehicles on interstates starting Friday afternoon.

UK Travellers Caught in Post-Holiday Disruption

The timing of the storm proved particularly disruptive for British travellers, with JFK serving as a major hub for transatlantic flights. Passengers attempting to return home after Christmas faced lengthy delays and cancellations, with some flights rescheduled for days later.

The last time New York City experienced a snowstorm of at least 4 inches (10.16 cm) was on 7 January 2022. That snow-starved streak appeared certain to end by Saturday as the storm moved out of the region during the morning, leaving behind significant accumulation and travel headaches.

More than 40 million Americans were under winter storm warnings or weather advisories on Friday, with an additional 30 million under flood or storm advisories in California, where heavy rain from an atmospheric river brought its own set of challenges.

As temperatures were forecast to drop into the weekend with an Arctic blast sweeping down from Canada, officials urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel and prepare for hazardous conditions to persist into Saturday.