Severe snowfall in THIS country, over 1000 flights affected, train services distrupted, emergency declared in…, schools shut

New York: The United States witnessed the heaviest snowfall in nearly four years after a chilling winter storm that swept across parts of the north-east United States. As per the US National Weather Service (NWS), the New York City’s Central Park recorded 4.3 inches (11cm) of snow, the highest level since January 2022. In other parts of New York state, snowfall reached as much as 7.5 inches. The impact of cold, snowfall, and fog is also being seen on flight operations.

Snowfall occurred in the northeastern United States on Saturday morning has affected air traffic. It is important to note that this is the holiday season, when heavy crowds are already expected. More than 9,000 domestic flights were canceled or delayed. New York Governor Kathy Hochul has issued a statement and said, “The safety of New Yorkers is my top priority, and I will continue to urge extreme caution during this storm.”

Here are some of the important details:

• Due to the snowfall, air traffic came to a halt over the weekend.
• Authorities in New York and New Jersey had to declare a weather emergency. The snowstorm weakened by morning.
• Along with the emergency declaration in New York and New Jersey, people in most parts of the Northeast were advised to stay off the roads because of the severe weather.
• In New York City, around four inches of snow fell overnight into Saturday.
• In Times Square, workers used shovels and snowblowers to clear slush-covered streets and pavements.

Over 1000 flights cancelled

As per the reports, nearly 700 domestic flights were cancelled on Saturday, mostly in the New York area, while more than 3,000 flights were delayed nationwide. At least 1,500 flights were cancelled from Friday night, according to FlightAware.

Airports including John F Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty issued snow warnings, cautioning passengers about delays. Around 2,100 international flights scheduled to depart from or arrive in the US on Saturday were also cancelled.