Severe thunderstorms trigger widespread flight delays and cancellations at NYC airports

Intense thunderstorms swept New York City, bringing one to one and a half inches of rain, gusts up to 60 mph and occasional hail, leading the Emergency Management Department to issue a flash-flood warning lasting until late evening. As a result, travelers at LaGuardia, JFK and Newark encountered extensive wait times, with Flight Aware counting 296 canceled flights and 375 delayed at JFK. Sean Duffy explained that a significant portion of controllers were absent, which compounded the weather-related challenges and required airlines to limit departures for safety.

The disruptions followed a day when nationwide travel was already affected, with thousands of flights delayed across the United States. The combined impact of adverse weather and staffing shortages left many passengers stranded or forced to rebook.