The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed a ground stop on flights headed to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) on Sunday morning, September 13, 2026, due to thunderstorms in the New York region. Flights bound for JFK were held at departure points from 8:18 a.m. until 12:15 p.m.
Thunderstorms accompanied by heavy rain caused flooding and travel disruptions across portions of the New York metropolitan area Sunday morning. The severe weather conditions prompted the FAA to halt flights inbound to JFK as a safety measure.
After the ground stop was lifted at 12:15 p.m., departing flights from JFK experienced average
delays of 15 minutes as of 3:30 p.m., according to the FAA. These delays were caused by weather-related traffic management initiatives to maintain safe operations amid ongoing adverse weather.
Many flights were delayed or held on the ground due to the ground stop caused by the thunderstorms. This weather event contributed to travel impacts across the New York metropolitan area beyond just the airport delays.
