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Severe winter storms have wreaked havoc on holiday travel plans across the United States, with thousands of flights cancelled or delayed on Friday, December
26.
Airlines and airports in the Northeast and Midwest have warned customers to expect severe disruptions, as hazardous weather conditions have hampered operations at key hubs, including John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.
As of 4:04 PM ET, 1,802 flights had been cancelled, while 22,349 were delayed, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. JetBlue Airways topped the list with 225 cancelled flights, followed by Delta Air Lines with 186 cancellations.
The National Weather Service issued warnings of Winter Storm Devin, predicting hazardous travel conditions for the Great Lakes, northern Mid-Atlantic, and southern New England on Saturday.
According to the National Weather Service, a winter storm warning was issued from New York City to northeast New Jersey, including the Lower Hudson Valley, Long Island, and Connecticut. The agency stated that certain places might receive up to 10 inches of snowfall in the heaviest bands.
Approximately half of them were concentrated around planes arriving or departing New York City's three major airports: LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark. Detroit and Boston airports also experienced cancellations and delays.
Airports have posted warnings on social media, alerting travellers to potential disruptions.
New York City issued a travel advisory for the duration of the storm, citing cold temperatures and hazardous road conditions. The weather service warned that road conditions would be treacherous for those travelling back from the holiday.
Other areas of the country are also facing weather-related travel problems. Until Saturday, freezing rain, sleet, and snow create hazardous travel conditions from the Great Lakes into New England and the mid-Atlantic.
While winter weather can cause a surge in electricity demand, grids have not shown symptoms of stress so far. Colder temperatures, on the other hand, are helping to raise prices for natural gas in the United States, which is used for home heating. Futures increased by up to 3.3% on Friday.
