Monster US Winter Storm Grounds 10,200+ Flights; Reagan Airport Closes

A major winter storm paralyzes travel across the United States. The massive system brought heavy snow and ice. It impacted the eastern two-thirds of the nation. This led to US winter storm flight cancellations on a massive scale.

More than 10,200 US flights were canceled Sunday. This figure is according to flight tracking website FlightAware. Over 4,000 flights were also canceled Saturday. This storm marks the highest cancellation event since the pandemic.

Aviation Chaos and Airport Closures

The storm caused hazardous travel and infrastructure disruptions. Washington, DC's Ronald Reagan National Airport closures were total. All flights at the airport were canceled Sunday. This affected approximately 420 scheduled flights.

Significant disruptions hit other major hubs. These included Dallas-Fort Worth and Atlanta. Charlotte, Philadelphia, and New York airports were also affected.

Airline Operational Adjustments

Delta Air Lines schedule adjustments were extensive. The carrier planned a reduced schedule Sunday. This was subject to real-time storm conditions. The airline canceled many flights Saturday. This affected Atlanta and the East Coast.

Delta proactively moved staff to support operations. They sent experts from cold-weather hubs. These teams aided airline de-icing and baggage teams. Support went to several southern airports. These included Atlanta, Nashville, and Knoxville.

American, United, and JetBlue were also hit hard. All major US carriers issued weather waivers. This allowed free rebooking for travelers.

Widespread Power Outages and Government Response

The storm's impact extended far beyond aviation. More than US power outages 850,000 were reported. This affected customers across many states. Outages reached as far west as New Mexico.

Tennessee was the hardest-hit state. It saw nearly 290,000 customers without power. Mississippi, Texas, and Louisiana each reported over 100,000 outages.

Emergency Declarations and Grid Security

President Donald Trump called the storms "historic." He approved federal emergency disaster declarations. This covered twelve states, including Virginia and Georgia. Seventeen states and D.C. declared weather emergencies.

The Department of Energy (DOE) took action. It issued emergency orders to grid operators. The DOE authorized the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). This allowed deploying backup generation resources. A similar order went to PJM Interconnection. This was for the mid-Atlantic region.

Forecast and Outlook

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued urgent alerts. They warned of heavy snow through Monday morning. New England could see up to 18 inches. Freezing rain was expected in the Southeast. Forecasters predicted "bitterly cold temperatures." This will bring prolonged hazardous travel and infrastructure impacts. Airlines face a difficult start to the week. They must reposition aircraft and crews.

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