As of Monday, December 29th, the winter storm Ezra has been disrupting holiday travel in the northeastern, midwestern, and Great Lakes regions of the United States for three consecutive days, resulting in thousands of flights delays and hundreds of cancellations.
Flight tracking website FlightAware data showed that as of 3:25 PM Eastern Time on Monday, nearly 6,000 flights were delayed and 751 flights were canceled. Since last Friday, weather conditions have led to over 3,600 flight cancellations and over 30,000 flight delays.
Meanwhile, meteorologists have warned of a “bomb cyclone” brewing, potentially further disrupting people’s travel plans before the New Year holiday.
Meteorologists at AccuWeather cautioned that this intense storm is expected to intensify into a “bomb cyclone” on Monday night, bringing blizzards, dangerous freezing conditions, heavy rain, and strong winds to the region spanning from Wisconsin to Maine.
When atmospheric pressure rapidly drops, it creates hurricane-force winds and heavy precipitation, forming a “bomb cyclone.” Currently, the polar cold front driving this storm is causing dramatic temperature fluctuations. For example, Philadelphia saw temperatures near 60 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately 16 degrees Celsius) on Monday, expected to drop to around 20 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately -7 degrees Celsius) overnight.
The severe weather has also disrupted road traffic, with low visibility, icy road surfaces, and blowing snow leading to several multi-vehicle pile-up accidents. Authorities in the affected areas are urging drivers to avoid non-essential travel.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has warned travelers that driving in the Midwest, Northern US, and Great Lakes regions may be very dangerous due to blizzard-like conditions, strong winds, and hail.
Due to the strong winds, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the suspension of all flights at Washington Dulles International Airport until 4:15 PM Eastern Time on Monday. Both Boston and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey experienced delays due to low visibility and strong windy conditions.
The FAA also ordered a halt of all flight operations at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport by 8 AM on Monday Eastern Time, leading to further disruptions for flights to Detroit, with delays expected to last until midnight.
FAA further stated that flights departing from Albany, Bangor in Maine, Burlington in Vermont, and Minneapolis-St. Paul are delayed due to the need for ground crews to clear snow and ice from aircraft.
This blizzard is occurring during one of the busiest travel seasons of the year, with airlines operating at near full capacity and passengers facing limited flexibility in rebooking, leading to long waits, rebooking difficulties, and accommodation challenges.
Major airlines such as American Airlines, United Airlines, JetBlue Airways, and Delta Air Lines have announced they will waive the change fees for passengers affected by weather-related flight delays.
Delta Air Lines’ stock price fell nearly 3% in afternoon trading. United Airlines, American Airlines, and Alaska Airlines all experienced around a 2% decline.
(This article referenced reports from Reuters.)