Story Updated at 11 a.m. EST, Dec. 30.
As of Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025, large portions of the U.S. continue to deal with the aftermath of Winter Storm Ezra, a fast-intensifying system that strengthened into a “bomb cyclone” and disrupted travel during one of the busiest periods of the year.
The storm has significantly impacted the Midwest, Great Lakes and Northeast. Multiple states have declared states of emergency. In New Jersey, Acting Governor Tahesha Way issued a statewide emergency declaration on Dec. 26, which remains in effect, affecting road conditions and travel restrictions. New York Governor Kathy Hochul has declared emergencies in several regions and warned residents on Tuesday morning of whiteout conditions in the Syracuse area, urging them to avoid all nonessential travel.
Cities such as St. Paul, Minnesota, have enacted snow emergencies to support plowing operations and parking restrictions.
The storm’s rapid intensification has resulted in widespread transportation disruptions. Nationwide, more than 6,000 flights have been delayed and nearly 1,000 canceled, according to industry tracking, with the most severe impacts at major hubs including JFK, Newark and LaGuardia in the New York area, Chicago O’Hare and Detroit Metropolitan in the Midwest, and Philadelphia and Boston Logan in the Northeast.
Ground travel has also been heavily affected. Power outages have compounded the challenges, with more than 127,000 customers without electricity, the majority concentrated in Michigan.
Original Story Published on Dec. 29, 2025.
Winter storms have been disrupting post-Christmas travel across the U.S. since Dec. 26, and Monday was no exception.
As of Monday morning, Dec. 29, more than 500 U.S. flights were canceled and 1,800+ delayed as snow and high winds hit the Midwest and Great Lakes while a winter rainstorm is affecting the Northeast and parts of the South. Buffalo Niagara International Airport was leading the number of cancellations among the nation’s airports.
The National Weather Service warned of 1 to 3 feet of lake-effect snow from Monday through Thursday and high winds, with gusts up to 75 mph in western New York on Monday. Similar conditions were expected along Lake Erie in Michigan and Ohio.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a social media post that travel in the Buffalo area could become dangerous beginning at 11 a.m. Monday because of potential whiteout conditions and urged people to avoid driving.
Meanwhile, thousands of flights were delayed or canceled Sunday, including disruptions at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, where thunderstorms prompted a temporary ground stop.
While winter storm conditions improve later in the week, the reset to colder air will keep winter hazards in play as the holiday travel rush continues.
One of the busiest travel periods of the year, AAA has projected record-breaking travel, with 122.4 million Americans expected to trek at least 50 miles from home over the 13-day, year-end holiday period, beginning Dec. 20 and ending Jan. 1. Over 8 million of those travelers were estimated to be going by air, AAA estimated.
