On November 12, 2026, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed ground stops at New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and LaGuardia Airport starting in the early to mid-afternoon due to thunderstorms affecting the region. LaGuardia’s ground stop began at 1:27 p.m. Eastern Time with an initial expected end at 3:45 p.m., but there was a 30% to 60% chance of extension. Concurrently, LaGuardia was under a ground delay program that started earlier at 1 p.m. and is scheduled to continue until 11:59 p.m. At Newark Liberty International Airport, a ground delay program started at 2:37 p.m., also
linked to severe weather in the New York metropolitan area.
Flight Delays and Cancellations at New York Area Airports
FlightAware data collected at afternoon intervals show significant disruption across the three airports. At LaGuardia, by 1:31 p.m., there were 215 flights delayed and 10 canceled. Newark recorded 131 delays and 6 cancellations by 2:24 p.m. At JFK, as measured at 3:16 p.m., delays totaled 239 flights and cancellations reached 24. These figures illustrate how the FAA restrictions due to thunderstorms caused extensive impacts at all three major New York area airports.
Weather Conditions Causing FAA Restrictions
Thunderstorms and heavy rain over the New York metropolitan region prompted the FAA’s imposition of ground stops and
delay programs at JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark. A flood advisory was active until 1:45 p.m. for Newark and surrounding areas, where heavy rainfall led to minor flooding in low-lying locations. The National Weather Service forecast indicated ongoing rainfall through November 13, 2026, with potential for minor coastal flooding. The FAA stated it continues to monitor weather conditions across the Northeast and warned that further air traffic restrictions are possible as the weather system progresses.
Delay Durations and Flow Control Measures
Flights departing for LaGuardia under the ground delay program experienced an average delay of 63 minutes. At Newark, the average delay for departing flights under the
ground delay program extended to 137 minutes, more than twice LaGuardia’s average. A ground stop, differing from a delay program, temporarily pauses affected arrivals by holding departures at their origin airports. LaGuardia uniquely had simultaneous implementation of both a ground stop and an all-day ground delay program. JFK’s ground stop also started at 2:49 p.m. with an anticipated end by 3:45 p.m., similarly carrying a 30% to 60% chance of extension.
These layered FAA flow control tools underscore the complexity faced by flights destined for congested hubs in the New York metropolitan area, where careful coordination of arrival slots and
alternates is necessary, particularly for business aviation competing for airspace and terminal capacity.
Regional Impact on Air Traffic
Weather-related flow restrictions at the New York metropolitan airports have repercussions beyond the immediate area. Ground stops and delay programs hold flights on the ground or meter departures at distant locations to manage arrivals in congested airspace safely. As a result, operational challenges at JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark impact the national air traffic network, spreading delays to connecting flights and hubs outside the Northeast. The extent of weather-driven restrictions through the evening and into the next day remains dependent on evolving conditions monitored continuously by the FAA.
