More than 5,000 flights cancelled as major snow storm blasts US north-east

A powerful winter storm sweeping through the northeastern United States has led to the cancellation of more than 5,000 flights, creating widespread travel disruptions and prompting emergency measures across several states.

According to flight tracking platform FlightAware, a total of 5,326 flights within, into, or out of the United States were cancelled by 08:45 GMT (03:45 ET) on Monday.

States including Massachusetts, Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, and Rhode Island declared states of emergency as heavy snowfall and strong winds intensified conditions across the region.

Authorities in New York City announced the closure of public schools on Monday — marking the first blizzard warning for the city in nearly a decade. Officials confirmed that 13 school buildings would remain open as warming centres to support residents affected by the extreme weather.

Closures were also reported in parts of Pennsylvania and surrounding states, while in Washington DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser confirmed that public schools would operate on a two-hour delayed schedule.

The storm’s impact extended beyond the United States. Several transatlantic flights from the UK were cancelled, including departures from Heathrow Airport to major US cities such as Boston, Philadelphia, and New York. Flights from Manchester and Edinburgh to New York were also cancelled, alongside some services between the US and Dublin Airport due to adverse weather.

The blizzard has already delivered up to 18 inches (45cm) of snow in eastern Pennsylvania, with forecasts suggesting totals could reach as much as 2 feet (60cm) in some areas before conditions ease Monday night.

Wind gusts of up to 70mph are expected to create dangerous snow drifts and could bring down trees and power lines, increasing the risk of outages.

The National Weather Service, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has issued winter storm and blizzard warnings affecting tens of millions of residents across the region.

A blizzard warning is triggered when sustained winds or frequent gusts exceed 35mph (56km/h), accompanied by significant falling or blowing snow for at least three hours — conditions now being experienced across large parts of the northeast.

The storm is expected to move into maritime Canada by Monday night, while another system — known as an Alberta clipper — could bring additional snowfall to the region later in the week.