More than 12,500 US flights delayed or cancelled due to major storms

The eastern half of the US, including New York, Chicago and Atlanta, has been hit with widespread air travel delays and cancellations. Read more at straitstimes.com.

NEW YORK – The eastern half of the US, including New York, Chicago and Atlanta, has been hit with widespread air travel delays and cancellations as a potential bomb-cyclone winter storm brings heavy snow, rain and possible tornadoes. 

By 4.30pm New York time on March 16 (4.30am on March 17), 3,982 flights had been cancelled across the US, with another 8,851 delayed, according to FlightAware. Major hubs in Chicago, New York – including LaGuardia – Charlotte and Atlanta were among the hardest hit. 

The disruption stems from a massive storm dropping snow by the foot across Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and bringing gusts as high as 113kph in the Mid-Atlantic. Tornado watches that signal the potential for such storms cover the East Coast from New Jersey to Florida, including Philadelphia and Trenton, the National Weather Service said. 

The storm’s central pressure may drop so rapidly it will meet the definition of a bomb cyclone, according to commercial forecaster AccuWeather Inc. A storm meets the criteria when its pressure drops about 24 millibars in 24 hours.

In Washington DC, the weather prompted officials to close public schools two hours early March 16, with all afternoon and evening activities cancelled, according to the district’s website.

Additionally, more than 383,000 homes and businesses from Texas to the East Coast were without power, according to PowerOutage.com.