The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) enforced ground stops at LaGuardia Airport beginning at 1:27 p.m. Eastern Time and at John F. Kennedy International Airport starting at 2:49 p.m. on November 12, 2026. Both ground stops were initially expected to last until 3:45 p.m. with a 30% to 60% chance they would be extended due to thunderstorms affecting the region. Concurrently, LaGuardia was under a ground delay program from 1 p.m. to 11:59 p.m., and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey began a ground delay program at 2:37 p.m. amid the storm conditions.
FlightAware data during the afternoon revealed that
LaGuardia had 215 delayed flights and 10 cancellations as of 1:31 p.m. Newark reported 131 delays and six cancellations at 2:24 p.m., while JFK showed 239 delays and 24 cancellations at 3:16 p.m. Meanwhile, a flood advisory remained active until 1:45 p.m. for Newark and nearby areas due to heavy rainfall causing minor flooding in low-lying locations. The National Weather Service forecasted ongoing rainfall in the New York metropolitan area into Friday, with potential for minor coastal flooding.
FAA Restrictions and Flight Impact Details
The FAA’s ground stop orders temporarily halted departures of flights destined to LaGuardia and JFK, holding them on the ground to control
air traffic flow amid thunderstorm activity. Ground delay programs at LaGuardia and Newark work differently by spacing outbound departures to manage arrivals and reduce congestion. LaGuardia’s delay program, active since 1 p.m., resulted in average inbound flight delays of 63 minutes, while Newark’s ground delay program initiated later produced average delays of 137 minutes for arriving flights. This layered system reflects how severe weather at these heavily trafficked airports spreads disruption broadly across the air traffic network.
The interaction of ground stops and delay programs caused cumulative operational constraints at New York’s major airports. LaGuardia managed both a ground stop
and a lengthy delay program, while Newark experienced significantly longer average arrival delays. The combination impacted airline schedules and passenger connections, extending wait times at all three hubs. This is consistent with FAA observations that weather flow-control at congested airports creates cascading effects for flights within and outside the metropolitan region.
Ongoing Monitoring and Forecast
The FAA continues close surveillance of Northeast weather conditions and has cautioned that additional air traffic restrictions might be issued if the severe weather persists. The forecast from the National Weather Service indicates that rainfall will remain over the New York metropolitan area beyond Thursday, potentially causing further travel
disruptions. Both the ground stops at LaGuardia and JFK were set to end at 3:45 p.m. but had a substantial probability of extension depending on storm development. Newark’s ongoing delay program remains in effect, reflecting the higher average delays recorded there. Travelers should expect continued delays and possible cancellations as the weather system evolves.
