Winter Storm Devin is hammering key travel corridors across the United States at the height of the year-end rush, unleashing a wave of flight cancellations, marathon airport delays, and treacherous road conditions from the Great Lakes to New England.

As of the December 26 to 28 holiday weekend, data from flight tracking services show more than 1,800 flights canceled nationwide and tens of thousands delayed, while millions of Americans remain under winter storm warnings and travel advisories that are poised to stretch into early this week.

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Storm Devin’s Latest Track and Forecast: Where the System Is Hitting Hardest

As of December 29, Winter Storm Devin is centered over the Northeast after sweeping eastward from the Great Lakes and Midwest late last week. The system has intensified into a classic post-Christmas winter storm, drawing ample Atlantic moisture into frigid air and producing a broad swath of heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain across densely populated metro areas.

Forecasters say the most severe impacts are being felt from upstate New York and western Pennsylvania through the New York City tri-state region and into southern New England.

The National Weather Service expects 4 to 8 inches of snow across large portions of New York State, northern New Jersey, and southern New England, with some localized totals approaching or exceeding 10 inches where snow bands remain stationary.

In central and western Pennsylvania, warmer air aloft riding over subfreezing surface temperatures has set the stage for a dangerous ice storm, with forecasters warning of a quarter inch or more of ice accretion on roads, power lines, and tree limbs.

Even as the heaviest snow begins to taper in some interior locations, wraparound moisture and lingering cold air are expected to keep light snow and icy drizzle in the forecast through at least Monday for sections of the Northeast.

That prolongs the risk of slick, refreezing roads each night, turning slush into black ice and hampering cleanup efforts. Strong winds on the backside of the system are also creating blowing and drifting snow in open areas, further reducing visibility and complicating ground and air travel.

Meteorologists say Devin is moving faster than some past blockbuster holiday storms, but its timing has made the impact particularly acute. The core of the storm overlapped with one of the busiest travel windows of the year, catching millions of fliers and drivers in its path as they tried to return home following Christmas gatherings.

Air Travel Meltdown: Cancellations, Delays, and Jammed Terminals Nationwide

Air travel has borne the brunt of Devin’s disruption. Between Friday and Saturday, more than 1,800 flights were canceled across the United States and more than 22,000 were delayed, according to data compiled from major carriers and flight tracking websites. By Sunday, cumulative delays and cancellations linked to the storm had touched roughly 9,000 flights over the multi-day event, with ripple effects spreading far beyond the immediate storm zone.

The New York City area has emerged as the epicenter of aviation turmoil. John F. Kennedy International, LaGuardia, and Newark Liberty collectively accounted for more than half of all cancellations at various points over the weekend. With runways periodically closed or restricted for plowing and de-icing, and arrival rates cut by air traffic controllers due to low visibility and gusty winds, airlines scrambled to rework schedules. Terminal scenes ranged from lines snaking out of check-in areas to exhausted travelers sleeping on the floor as they waited for rebooked flights.

Carriers with heavy exposure to the Northeast have been among the hardest hit. JetBlue, which maintains a major presence at JFK and Boston, has canceled hundreds of flights since Friday, including roughly 225 on December 26 alone, according to figures shared by the airline and flight tracking sites. Delta Air Lines and American Airlines have each scrubbed well over a hundred flights, while United and regional feeder carriers such as Republic Airways have also logged significant disruption as their intricate hub-and-spoke networks struggle to rebalance crews and aircraft.

The ripple effects have extended deep into the domestic network. Airports across the Midwest and South that are far from the storm’s snow bands, including large hubs such as Orlando International, reported hundreds of delays as they absorbed aircraft and crew shortages tied back to the Northeast. Airlines say it may take several more days to fully restore normal operations, particularly at the most heavily affected East Coast hubs where backlogs of passengers are still building.

Hazardous Roads and State Emergencies: Authorities Urge Drivers to Stay Home

On the ground, Winter Storm Devin has turned highways into hazard zones. Governors in New York and New Jersey declared states of emergency as the storm intensified, activating additional resources for plowing, towing, and emergency response. Both states, along with Pennsylvania, imposed restrictions on commercial vehicles along several major interstates, including stretches of critical freight and commuter routes, in an effort to reduce crashes and keep lanes open for snow removal.

Transportation officials warn that Devin’s combination of heavy snow, bursts of sleet, and a flash freeze in the storm’s wake is particularly dangerous for drivers. In many areas, roadways that were merely wet during the day have refrozen into sheets of ice overnight as temperatures drop back below freezing. Even where plows have cleared most lanes, shoulders and secondary roads remain snow-packed and slick, posing risks to motorists who venture off major arteries or travel before local crews can reach side streets.

In western Pennsylvania and parts of upstate New York, the main threat has shifted from pure snowfall to ice accumulation. A glazing of ice as thin as a quarter inch can cause tree limbs to snap and power lines to sag or break, heightening the risk of scattered outages just as temperatures remain wintery. Emergency managers are urging residents to prepare for the possibility of short-term power interruptions by charging devices, stocking batteries, and limiting nonessential trips in case traffic lights and street lighting go dark.

Law enforcement agencies throughout the affected corridor report numerous spinouts, fender benders, and jackknifed tractor-trailers, especially on bridges and overpasses that cool faster than surrounding pavement. Officials continue to advise residents to avoid nonessential driving and to give snowplows and emergency vehicles wide berth when they are on the roads.

States, Airlines, and Airports Roll Out Emergency Measures

In addition to declaring states of emergency, governors and local officials are coordinating closely with transportation agencies, utilities, and the private sector to blunt Devin’s impact. State emergency operations centers in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania have been fully activated, with staff monitoring weather models, traffic conditions, and utility restoration efforts in real time. National Guard units are on standby in several states to assist with road clearance, medical transports, and welfare checks if conditions worsen or if ice-related power outages become widespread.

Airports have shifted into their own form of emergency footing. At major hubs, extra ground crews have been called in around the clock to operate plows, blowers, and de-icing trucks. Airports are coordinating with the Federal Aviation Administration’s air traffic centers to manage ground delay programs, which meter the flow of arrivals and departures into congested airspace to maintain safety amid reduced runway capacity. Many airports have opened additional seating areas, rest zones, and, in some cases, cots or quiet spaces to help accommodate stranded travelers.

Airlines have introduced broad travel waivers in response to the storm. Major carriers including JetBlue, American, Delta, and United are allowing customers scheduled to fly through affected airports to rebook without change fees, and in some cases fare differences, for travel over the next several days, provided they keep the same origin and destination. These policies are designed to encourage passengers with flexible plans to move flights out of the storm window, reducing congestion at ticket counters and easing pressure on overloaded call centers.

Officials stress, however, that such waivers do not completely eliminate the challenges ahead. Crews must still comply with federal rest requirements, and diverted aircraft must be repositioned to where they are needed. The complex puzzle of crew scheduling, aircraft rotations, and gate availability means that some delays are likely to linger even after the last snowflake has fallen.

What Travelers Are Experiencing on the Ground

Inside terminals from Boston to Chicago, Winter Storm Devin has turned the normally hectic holiday travel period into a test of endurance. Travelers report waiting in line for hours to speak with agents about rebookings, only to discover that the next available flights are days away. Families with young children have set up makeshift camps near power outlets, while business travelers scramble to attend meetings virtually as connection after connection falls through.

Social media is awash with images of crowded gate areas, departure boards lit with strings of cancellations, and de-icing trucks crawling past snow-covered aircraft. Despite frustration, many passengers say airline and airport staff are doing what they can under trying circumstances, offering meal vouchers, blankets, and frequent announcements where possible. Still, communication gaps remain a major point of tension, as not all disruptions are reflected immediately in apps and websites, leaving some travelers unsure whether to race to the airport or stay home.

For those who chose to stay on the roads, the experience has been equally challenging. Long backups have been reported near stretches of interstate where crashes or stalled vehicles blocked lanes, with drivers waiting for tow trucks and plows to clear the way. Bus operators have canceled or consolidated routes in parts of the Northeast, stranding some riders who had hoped to avoid the chaos at airports by traveling overland.

Travel experts note that the timing of Devin, on the heels of pre-Christmas storms in other parts of the country, has compounded stress for many passengers already on their second or third rebooked itinerary. They advise that, with flight loads running high across the network, travelers who can delay their return home until midweek may have a smoother experience than those attempting to depart immediately after the storm.

How to Navigate the Coming Days if You Still Need to Travel

With conditions still volatile in parts of the Northeast and flight operations fragile nationwide, authorities and travel specialists are urging anyone who must travel in the coming days to adopt a conservative and flexible approach. The top recommendation is to verify your itinerary repeatedly. Passengers should consult both airline apps and airport status boards before leaving home, as departure times, gates, and even the operating carrier can change quickly in response to the storm’s evolving footprint.

For those driving, Departments of Transportation in impacted states advise checking real-time traffic cameras and road condition updates and paying close attention to any new restrictions on trucks or high-profile vehicles. Motorists are encouraged to fully clear snow and ice from vehicles before departure, carry winter emergency kits with blankets, water, snacks, and phone chargers, and keep fuel tanks at least half full in case of unexpected delays or detours.

Travelers with flexible plans are being asked to consider postponing nonessential trips, particularly into or out of airports in the New York and New England regions, until at least midweek, when plow crews and airlines will have had more time to work through backlogs. For international travelers whose connections pass through the United States, rebooking through less affected hubs or shifting travel dates may help avoid the worst of the storm’s residual disruption.

Industry analysts say the next 24 to 48 hours will be critical. If additional bands of snow and ice materialize as forecast, or if post-storm icing continues to limit runway use during the overnight hours, the recovery timeline could lengthen. On the other hand, if temperatures moderate slightly and winds ease, airports and airlines may be able to accelerate de-icing operations and reduce the volume of grounded aircraft.

FAQ

Q1: How many flights have been affected by Winter Storm Devin so far?
More than 1,800 flights were canceled nationwide on Friday and Saturday alone, and delays have reached into the tens of thousands over the multi-day event, with disruptions still unfolding as of December 29.

Q2: Which airports are experiencing the worst problems?
The New York metropolitan airports John F. Kennedy, LaGuardia, and Newark Liberty have been the hardest hit, accounting for a significant share of cancellations and delays, with additional major impacts at hubs in Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, and other Northeast and Great Lakes cities.

Q3: What regions are under the heaviest snow and ice from Devin?
The core snow zone stretches from the Great Lakes through upstate New York, northern New Jersey, and southern New England, while central and western Pennsylvania and parts of neighboring states are facing serious ice accumulation from freezing rain.

Q4: Are airlines offering fee waivers for affected travelers?
Yes. Major U.S. carriers, including JetBlue, Delta, American, United, and several regional airlines, have issued travel waivers that allow passengers scheduled to fly through affected airports to rebook without standard change fees, within specified date and routing windows.

Q5: How long are travel disruptions expected to last?
While the heaviest snowfall is expected to taper in many areas within the next 24 to 36 hours, airlines and airports say residual delays and scattered cancellations could persist for several days as they reposition aircraft and crews and work through passenger backlogs.

Q6: What should I do if my flight is canceled?
Travelers should first use airline apps or websites to rebook, as digital tools often provide faster access to open seats than airport counters. If online options are limited, contacting the carrier by phone or social media, or working with gate agents once in the terminal, can help identify alternate routes, including connections through less affected hubs.

Q7: Is it safe to drive during Winter Storm Devin?
Authorities across the affected region urge avoiding nonessential road travel, particularly during periods of heavy snow, sleet, or freezing rain. If driving is unavoidable, motorists should reduce speed, increase following distance, equip vehicles with winter tires where possible, and carry emergency supplies in case of prolonged delays.

Q8: Could there be power outages connected to the storm?
Yes. Ice accumulation on power lines and tree branches, especially in western Pennsylvania and parts of upstate New York, poses a risk of localized outages. Strong winds combined with heavy, wet snow can also bring down limbs and lines, so residents are encouraged to prepare for brief interruptions in service.

Q9: How can international travelers connect through the U.S. during Devin?
International passengers with connections through heavily affected airports should monitor both their inbound and onward flights closely and consider contacting airlines or travel agents to explore rerouting options through alternative hubs or shifting travel dates if connections appear at risk.

Q10: What is the best way to stay updated on changing conditions?
Travelers should rely on a combination of official sources, including National Weather Service alerts, state transportation and emergency management updates, and real-time information from airlines and airports via mobile apps, text alerts, and terminal announcements.