The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented ground stops at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA), alongside a ground delay program at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) on November 13, 2026, in response to thunderstorms impacting the New York area. Ground stops at JFK and LaGuardia require affected flights to remain at their departure airports until restrictions are lifted, while the ground delay program at Newark schedules arrivals to assigned times to control congestion.
Flight Delays and Cancellations at New York Airports
The ground stop at LaGuardia began at 1:27 p.m. Eastern Time with an initially expected end at 3:45 p.m., and a ground delay
program at the same airport started earlier at 1:00 p.m., running until 11:59 p.m. on November 13. Flights arriving under LaGuardia’s ground delay program faced average delays of 63 minutes. Newark’s ground delay program started at 2:37 p.m., leading to average arrival delays of 137 minutes. JFK initiated a ground stop at 2:49 p.m., also with an expected end time of 3:45 p.m., and a 30 to 60 percent chance of extension. FlightAware data showed 215 delayed and 10 cancelled flights at LaGuardia around 1:31 p.m., 131 delayed and 6 cancelled flights at Newark around 2:24 p.m., and 239 delayed
alongside 24 cancelled flights at JFK by 3:16 p.m. All cancellations and delays were subject to change.
Weather and Operational Conditions Driving Restrictions
The FAA’s actions followed severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall across the New York metropolitan area. A flood advisory remained in effect until 1:45 p.m. for Newark and surrounding locations, where minor flooding occurred in low-lying areas. The National Weather Service forecast extended rainfall through Friday, with the possibility of minor coastal flooding. The FAA continues to monitor the weather system moving through the Northeast and may enforce additional air traffic restrictions as necessary.
Effects on Travelers and Air Traffic Management
Passengers at all three airports—LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark—experienced substantial disruptions,
with average arrival delays of 63 minutes at LaGuardia and 137 minutes at Newark. The combined use of ground stops and delay programs affected not only flights arriving into the New York area but also those departing from airports outside the region, as delays at these congested hubs propagate through the national airspace system. The layered restrictions require careful coordination by operators, especially in congested terminal areas, to manage arrival slots and alternate planning.
National Implications of Local Weather Disruptions
FAA ground stops and delay programs reflect the agency’s approach to controlling air traffic flow during adverse weather to maintain safety and manage congestion at busy
Northeast airports. Disruptions at JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark underscore how severe weather at a major air traffic hub can affect the broader U.S. air traffic network, with cascading delays impacting flights far beyond the immediate area. The difference between a ground stop, which holds flights at their origin, and a ground delay program, which spaces arrivals to manageable levels, is critical in managing terminal airspace capacity under these conditions.
