Winter storm snarls thousands of flights in the Northeast and Great Lakes. Maps show the latest forecast.
More than 2,000 flights were canceled or delayed across the Northeast and Great Lakes regions on Saturday after a winter storm packing ice and snow slammed the area during the busy travel period between Christmas and New Year’s.
As of Saturday morning, New York City had received just under three inches of snow — roughly half of what some forecasts had predicted.
Least 2,700 flights have been canceled across the U.S. since Friday, and thousands more were delayed, according to the flight-tracking website FlightAware.
Newark Liberty International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport posted snow warnings on the social media platform X on Friday, cautioning that weather conditions could cause flight disruptions.
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Ahead of the storm, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for more than half of the state. She told CBS News New York in a phone interview Friday afternoon that people in the region should delay their travel plans.
“If you can stay off the roads for just a few more hours, delay your travel plans, and allow our plows to get out there and do what they do,” Hochul said. “If people are staying home, it’s just a volume of snow, we’ll be able to get through it. New Yorkers are tough, we’ve been through this before.”
The National Weather Service warned of hazardous travel conditions from the Great Lakes through the northern mid-Atlantic and southern New England, with the potential for tree damage and power outages. Forecasters said the storm was expected to weaken by Saturday morning.
Map shows winter storm warnings
More than 13 million people are under a winter weather advisory, while 7.7 million others are under a winter storm watch.
Millions of Americans live in areas under winter weather advisories, with the most serious warnings in place for portions of central Pennsylvania, the New York Tri-State area and northward.
CBS News
Winter storm warnings are in effect from Friday afternoon through midday Saturday for New York City and surrounding areas, including northern New Jersey, most of Long Island, the Hudson Valley and western Connecticut.
An ice storm warning is in effect through Saturday morning in the central Pennsylvania counties of Somerset, Westmoreland (ridges), Indiana, Armstrong, Clarion, Jefferson, Forest and Venango.
Map shows forecast for ice conditions
Ice is the biggest concern for an area stretching from central Michigan through southwestern New York and central Pennsylvania.
CBS News
CBS Philadelphia reported that roads and sidewalks could be slick on Saturday after the region saw a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain overnight. Temperatures are expected to be above freezing during the day, but warned that black ice could form on the roads overnight.
More snow and cold in the forecast
Forecasters predict more snow this weekend in the Midwest and Great Lakes, with rain and embedded thunderstorms possible Sunday evening. Blizzard conditions are likely by early Monday with blowing snow and possible white conditions.
In the Northeast, snow is expected to wrap up across central and southern New England on Saturday, where 4 to 8 inches were reported in spots. Colder-than-normal temperatures are expected for the rest of the weekend.
CBS News
Snow will continue into the northern and central Rockies and nearby High Plains this weekend; however, a fast-moving system will limit snowfall amounts overall.
In the Northern Plains, arctic air will surge south on Saturday behind a strong cold front. CBS Philadelphia meteorologist Andrew Kozak said it will be some of the coldest air yet this season. Temperatures will drop below zero in parts of Montana by Sunday morning and wind chills will fall below minus 30 degrees with gusty winds.
CBS News
CBS News weather producer Elie Morrison contributed to this report.
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