Severe storms across the United States during the Christmas holiday caused widespread travel disruption, with more than 1,800 flights cancelled and thousands delayed. Meanwhile, catastrophic flooding in California has claimed at least three lives, officials said.
Holiday travel was hit hardest as winter storm Devin swept across large parts of the country, bringing heavy snow to the Northeast and Midwest and record-breaking rainfall to California.
According to flight-tracking website FlightAware, airlines cancelled 1,802 flights and delayed over 22,000 more by Friday afternoon, as millions of Americans attempted to return home after Christmas.
The Upper Midwest, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions experienced a white Christmas, with snow, sleet and freezing rain affecting road and air travel. New York’s major airports: John F Kennedy International, Newark Liberty and LaGuardia, were among the worst hit, accounting for more than half of all flight cancellations nationwide. JetBlue cancelled the most flights, followed closely by Delta Air Lines, Republic Airways and American Airlines, Reuters reported.
Spokespersons for American Airlines, United Airlines and JetBlue said that change fees had been waived for affected passengers. Explaining the scale of disruption, a JetBlue spokesperson said, “Due to winter storm Devin, JetBlue has canceled approximately 350 flights today and tomorrow, primarily in the Northeast where JetBlue has a large operation.”
Ahead of the storm, New York and New Jersey declared states of emergency. Announcing the move, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said, “As widespread snowfall is expected to start in New York City and its surrounding areas this evening, I will declare a State of Emergency to ensure that our agencies and local partners have the resources and tools they need to respond to the storm.”
New Jersey Acting Governor Tahesha Way also urged caution to travellers. In a statement, she said, “This storm will cause dangerous road conditions and impact holiday travel. We are urging travellers to avoid travel during the storm and allow crews to tend to the roads.”
The National Weather Service warned that winter storm Devin would create hazardous travel conditions from the Great Lakes to the northern Mid-Atlantic and southern New England through Saturday morning.
In New York City and surrounding areas, forecasters predicted snowfall rates of one to two inches per hour, with total accumulation of up to 11 inches in some locations. New York City Emergency Management advised residents, “Do not travel unless you absolutely have to.”
California floods kill three
While snow battered the Northeast, California faced a very different crisis. Historic rainfall from a powerful atmospheric river flooded streets, triggered mudslides, caused mass power outages and forced water rescues across the state. Officials said three people died in weather-related incidents between Sunday and Wednesday.
Among them was Sacramento County sheriff’s deputy James Caravallo, who died in a single-vehicle crash while driving to work on Christmas Eve, with authorities believing wet road conditions played a role. In San Diego, Roberto Ruiz died after a large tree branch fell on him during the storm, sending him into cardiac arrest, NBC reported.
Mountain communities such as Wrightwood, northeast of Los Angeles, were among the worst affected, receiving nearly a foot of rain. Floodwaters reached homes and buried vehicles in mud. One resident described waking up to a “river running through our property.”
Residents recounted frightening scenes as the storm intensified. Jill Jenkins, who was spending Christmas in Wrightwood with her grandson, said, “It’s really a crazy Christmas.” Her grandson, Hunter Lopiccolo, described how the family coped during power outages, saying, “We just played card games all night with candles and flashlights.”
Others carried out rescues on their own. Davey Schneider said he hiked through floodwaters to save pets trapped in his grandfather’s home. “I wanted to help them out because I wasn’t confident that they were going to live,” he said, adding, “Fortunately, they all lived. They’re all okay — just a little bit scared.”
San Bernardino County fire department spokesman Christopher Prater said crews encountered extreme conditions during rescue operations. “We saw some very dire situations,” he said. Prater added that several residents were trapped in homes by up to five feet of mud and water.
Governor Gavin Newsom declared emergencies in six California counties, placing firefighters, first responders and the National Guard on standby. Officials said the storm brought the wettest Christmas period to downtown Los Angeles in more than 50 years, with flood watches remaining in effect for millions of people due to runoff risks.
As California’s storms began to ease, forecasters warned that winter weather in the Northeast could continue to disrupt travel through the weekend, with lighter snow and icy roads expected on Saturday.