The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has imposed ground stops at Newark Liberty International Airport and LaGuardia Airport on August 7, 2026, due to severe thunderstorms affecting the tri-state region. The ground stop at Newark Airport remains in effect through 6:00pm local time and may be extended, while LaGuardia Airport’s ground stop continues until at least 5:15pm local time. These measures are in place to manage air traffic safely amid ongoing adverse weather conditions.
Flight Delays at Newark, LaGuardia, and JFK Airports
At Newark Airport, flights arriving and departing are experiencing average delays of 2 hours and 18 minutes. Departure delays currently range from 2 hours and 1 minute
to 2 hours and 15 minutes due to extended gate hold and taxi times. LaGuardia Airport reports incoming flights delayed by an average of 57 minutes, with departure delays between 2 hours and 31 minutes and 2 hours and 45 minutes, both increasing. Airborne delays for arriving flights at both Newark and LaGuardia remain at 15 minutes or less.
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) lifted its ground stop; however, a Traffic Management Program remains active due to weather. Arrivals and departures at JFK face average delays of approximately 5 hours and 46 minutes. Airborne delays at JFK are similarly
under 15 minutes.
Severe Thunderstorm Watch Covers Tri-State Region
The National Weather Service has issued Severe Thunderstorm Watch number 540, which remains effective until 9:00pm Eastern Daylight Time on August 7, 2026. The watch covers multiple counties surrounding Newark and LaGuardia airports. In Connecticut, it includes Fairfield County. In New Jersey, the watch applies to Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic, and Union counties. In New York, the affected counties are Bronx, Kings (Brooklyn), Nassau, New York (Manhattan), Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond (Staten Island), Rockland, and Westchester.
FAA and Airport Advisories on Flight Status
The FAA confirmed the continuation of ground stops at Newark and LaGuardia airports due to severe weather, with potential extensions depending
on storm developments. LaGuardia Airport issued an advisory via X (formerly Twitter) cautioning travelers that weather has caused flight disruptions and advised checking with airlines for current flight status updates. These disruptions contributed to substantial flight cancellations and delays at the major New York metropolitan airports.
Traffic Management Programs in Effect
To mitigate the impact of the severe thunderstorms, Traffic Management Programs remain active at Newark, LaGuardia, and JFK airports. These programs regulate the flow of arriving and departing flights to maintain safety amid the adverse weather. The extended gate holds, taxi times, and airborne sequencing delays reflect ongoing efforts to accommodate the challenging weather
across the region’s airspace.
