Air India on Saturday announced the cancellation of all flights to and from New York and Newark, New Jersey, for Sunday and Monday, as Winter Storm Fern is set to bring heavy snow and strong winds across the region.
The airline said the cancellations come amid widespread disruptions to US air travel, with airlines issuing travel waivers, warning of delays, and canceling flights as ice, snow, and gusty winds affect major hubs and regional airports across the South, East, and central parts of the country.
Major storm disrupts travel across the US
The storm has already led to more than 8,000 flight cancellations over the weekend, with roughly 140 million people under winter storm warnings stretching from New Mexico to New England. The National Weather Service predicted widespread heavy snow and a band of catastrophic ice from east Texas to North Carolina.
“By Friday night, the edge of the storm was sending freezing rain and sleet into parts of Texas while snow and sleet were falling in Oklahoma,” reports said. The storm is expected to move into the Northeast, dumping about a foot (30 centimeters) of snow from Washington through New York and Boston.
Governors in more than a dozen states have declared emergencies or urged residents to stay home. Texas Governor Greg Abbott told residents on X (formerly Twitter), “Stay home if possible,” as the state’s Department of Transportation pretreated roads ahead of the storm.
More than 3,400 flights were delayed or canceled on Saturday, with over 5,000 additional flights called off for Sunday. Passenger Angela Exstrom, whose flight from Houston to Omaha was canceled, said, “If you live in the Midwest and travel in the winter, stuff can happen.”
Frigid temperatures and icy conditions pose risks
The Midwest experienced wind chills as low as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 40 Celsius), creating a high risk of frostbite. In Bismarck, North Dakota, Colin Cross described bundling up in long johns, multiple shirts, a jacket, hat, hood, gloves, and boots as he prepared for work, saying, “I've been here awhile and my brain stopped working.”
At Saint Paul Mini Market in Baltimore, storm preparations were a major topic of conversation.
Owner Ayaz Ahmed said, “Every single person that walks in talks about the storm. Somehow, this time around, they did a good job letting people know that here's a storm coming their way, and everybody knows about the storm, but how to deal with that is another thing.”
Utility companies prepared for potential outages, as ice-laden trees and power lines can continue falling long after the storm passes.
Officials deployed nearly 30 search and rescue teams and positioned over 7 million meals, 600,000 blankets, and 300 generators in the affected areas, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
President Donald Trump said via social media, “FEMA is fully prepared to respond,” noting that his administration was coordinating with state and local authorities.
Schools, churches, and public events adjust schedules
The storm has also disrupted daily life, with churches moving Sunday services online and Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry holding its Saturday night radio performance without fans. Carnival parades in Louisiana were canceled or rescheduled.
Philadelphia schools announced closures for Monday, with Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. telling students, “It's also appropriate to have one or two very safe snowball fights.”
Universities across the South, including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Mississippi, cancelled classes for Monday. At the University of Georgia, sophomore Eden England said, “I'd rather be with my friends, kind of struggling together if anything happens.”
