The Northeastern United States is plunged into unprecedented logistical chaos as a winter storm of rare intensity slams into the Atlantic coast, leading to the preemptive cancellation of more than 6,000 flights last Sunday.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), a veritable blizzard is currently blanketing the states of New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, with snow accumulations exceeding 60 centimeters in some areas.
In New York’s crucial hubs, the situation is critical: two-thirds of flights have been canceled at John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports, while 40% of remaining departures have been outright canceled due to zero visibility.
The paralysis is expected to worsen this week, affecting Boston and Philadelphia airports with the same severity, transforming terminals into makeshift dormitories for thousands of travelers.
To limit operational and financial risks, many international airlines have suspended their transatlantic flights to prevent their wide-body aircraft from being grounded by the frost, while American carriers such as Delta Air Lines, American, JetBlue, United, Spirit, and Southwest are trying to defuse the crisis by offering free ticket changes to their customers.
In addition to air travel, ground transportation is also at a standstill with the partial shutdown of the Amtrak rail network and the ban on heavy trucks on several major New England highways, making Monday, February 23, 2026, a dark day for the regional economy.