A severe winter storm has plunged holiday travel into chaos across the northeastern United States, prompting states of emergency and grounding more than 1,500 flights during one of the year's busiest travel periods.
Travel Gridlock and Emergency Declarations
The powerful system, which arrived on Friday 27 December 2025, led governors in New York and New Jersey to declare states of emergency. Officials urged residents to avoid all non-essential travel as heavy snow and treacherous conditions gripped the region. The disruption came at the worst possible time for thousands of families attempting to journey home after Christmas celebrations.
According to flight-tracking service FlightAware, at least 1,500 flights were cancelled or delayed across the country since Friday night. Major aviation hubs including John F. Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International, and LaGuardia Airports all issued snow warnings, anticipating further significant disruption.
Snowfall Falls Short of Forecast But Impact Is Severe
While the predicted snowfall totals were not fully realised in some areas, the storm's impact was nonetheless substantial. Forecasters had warned of up to 11 inches (28 cm) of snow in parts of the Northeast by Saturday afternoon. By Saturday morning, New York City had recorded around four inches, less than initially feared, with skies beginning to clear.
Despite the lower accumulation, the pre-emptive measures and existing conditions caused major holiday travel headaches. The National Weather Service had indicated the New York City area could see between 2 and 5 inches of snow, with up to 6 inches further north. From upstate New York to Long Island, predictions ranged from 6 to 11 inches, with a potential for 12 inches in isolated spots.
Regional Leaders Mobilise Resources and Issue Warnings
New York City Mayor Eric Adams took to social media to state the city was prepared, later sharing images of salt spreaders and snowploughs deployed across the streets. New York's Department of Sanitation had 700 million pounds of salt ready to treat roads. Governor Kathy Hochul advised people to monitor forecasts and avoid unnecessary journeys, while New Jersey Governor Tahesha Way activated her state's emergency protocols due to the risk of icy conditions.
The disruption was not confined to the Northeast. Airports in Florida, including Orlando, and as far west as San Francisco, experienced hundreds of delays as the storm's ripple effects travelled across national networks.
The storm also brought danger to ski resorts. At Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in California, two ski patrollers were injured in an avalanche on Friday morning following over 5 feet (1.5 metres) of snow since Tuesday. In the Sierra Nevada, snowfall rates of up to 2 inches per hour made mountain passes extremely hazardous, with local officials rescuing a backcountry skier buried in an avalanche near Reno on Thursday.
This marked the most significant snowfall for New York City since 2022, when 8 inches blanketed Central Park. The event underscores the vulnerability of critical transport infrastructure to extreme winter weather, especially during peak holiday travel windows.
