Getting Around After the Storm: Delays and Cancellations
The blizzard that hit the East Coast is expected to wreak havoc on travel.
-- The blizzard that hit the East Coast over the weekend is expected to wreak havoc on travel and transportation systems for days as millions dig out from the deadly storm.
Road crews are working around the clock to clear snow and ice from roads, runways and rail tracks from Georgia to Massachusetts. Some progress was reported today with conditions improving enough that the Washington Metro system announced it would open Monday with limited service and Baltimore and New York have lifted some travel restrictions.
"The snow pile is going to be with us for a while, but I think we'll be in good shape in the next 24 hours," New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said today on ABC News' "This Week."
The blizzard was the second-biggest snowstorm in New York City history, with 26.8 inches of snow accumulating in Central Park by midnight Saturday, almost beating the 2006 record of 26.9 inches, the National Weather Service said. The Washington, D.C., area was hit hard as well with 17.8 inches of snow reported at Reagan National Airport just outside the city, and flooding occurred along the Atlantic coast in New Jersey, Delaware and Virginia.
The storm’s impact on travel up and down the East Coast is expected to be felt for days. Here’s a look at the latest conditions and delays:
AIR
By late afternoon, there were 3,497 flights canceled today and 1,100 delays into, out of or within the United States, according to FlightAware. Flight cancellations for Monday stand at 615, although FlightAware expects the number to tick upwards.
Cancellations have mostly been occurring at airports in Chicago, Philadelphia, Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina, Boston, Washington and New York.
Major airports with service to Washington -- including Reagan National and Dulles remain closed on Sunday, and there were limited services in and out of Baltimore-Washington International.
Airports near New York City -- Newark, La Guardia, and J.F.K. -- were open Sunday, but 982 outbound and 916 inbound flights at those airports were canceled. Passengers should check with their airline carriers for up-to-date flight information.
RAIL
Amtrak also cut back on service and ran fewer trains throughout the weekend. The limited amount of service mainly impacted trains along its Northeast corridor, including Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and Boston. Amtrak is telling passengers to check its website for more information as normal train schedules may be impacted through Monday.
ROAD
Officials in several cities are asking residents to remain off the roads so crews can clean snow-choked streets, and Greyhound cautions that customers can expect delays and some cancellations.
The travel ban that barred non-emergency vehicles from the roads of New York City was lifted on Sunday morning. In Maryland, Gov. Larry Hogan closed I-270 and I-70 Saturday night, although they reopened at 7 a.m. Sunday after plows worked to clear the highway.
TRANSIT
In New York, subway service was slowly being restored to the above-ground portions of the system and delays were still occurring Sunday evening.
New Jersey Transit was restoring service, including Light Rail lines and commuter trains. Still, riders should expect detours and delays due to the weather conditions.
Washington’s Metro system was scheduled to reopen at 7 a.m. on Monday, but will only provide very limited underground service. Metro said to expect trains to arrive every 20 to 25 minutes. The city’s bus service will also operate on a limited basis.
One perk: Metro says it will waive fares, providing free service.