The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed a ground stop for all flights destined for John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) on Sunday morning, September 13, 2026. The measure was enacted at 8:18 a.m. as severe thunderstorms affected the New York region, grounding flights bound for the airport until 12:15 p.m.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms led to flooding and disrupted travel across the New York metropolitan area, prompting the FAA to temporarily halt arrivals to manage air traffic safely.
Flight delays persist after ground stop lift
The ground stop was lifted shortly after 12:15 p.m. Sunday. However, as of 3:30 p.m., the FAA reported that departing flights from
JFK were experiencing average delays of 15 minutes. These delays continued due to weather-related traffic management efforts necessary to maintain safety and operational control following the storm activity.
The Federal Aviation Administration attributed these ongoing disruptions directly to the weather conditions in the New York metropolitan area.
