A severe winter storm named «Devin» swept across the Northeast United States today (Saturday), carrying a mix of heavy snow, ice, and freezing rain, causing disruptions to air traffic and declaring a state of emergency in New York and New Jersey.
The National Weather Service issued warnings for an ice and winter storm across most of New York and Connecticut, with snow accumulations expected to reach up to 30 centimeters in local areas like Long Island and the Hudson Valley.
Air Disaster Due to Snow.. Over 1600 Flights Canceled in America
Largest Snow Accumulation Since 2022
In New York, the largest snow accumulation since 2022 is expected, with snowfall rates of up to 5 centimeters or more per hour, along with a mix of snow and freezing rain in many areas.
Air Disaster Due to Snow.. Over 1600 Flights Canceled in America
Emergency in New York
New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency yesterday (Friday), warning of dangerous road conditions and stated: «The safety of New Yorkers is my top priority, and I urge everyone to take extreme caution and avoid unnecessary travel.»
New Jersey also declared a state of emergency, with strong winds expected, and banned some commercial vehicle movements on highways.
Snowfall began in western New York and the metropolitan area on Friday evening, intensifying on Saturday.
Flight Cancellations
According to the FlightAware tracking service, more than 1600 domestic flights in the United States were canceled on Friday, with more than 7800 delays, and about 650 additional flights were canceled on Saturday.
Most cancellations were concentrated at New York's three main airports (John F. Kennedy, Newark Liberty, and LaGuardia), which issued warnings to travelers.
Airlines such as American Airlines, United, and JetBlue announced waivers for rebooking fees for those affected.
The Impact of Storm Devin
Tahesha Way, the acting governor of New Jersey, said: «This storm will cause dangerous road conditions and impact holiday travel, we urge travelers to avoid traveling to allow teams to deal with the roads.»
As the storm continues, snow accumulations between 15 - 28 centimeters are expected in New York, with risks of power outages due to ice in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.
