The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is enforcing ground stops at LaGuardia Airport in New York until 5:15 pm local time and Newark Airport in New Jersey until 6:00 pm local time on August 7, 2026, as severe thunderstorms impact the tri-state metropolitan area. The FAA expects the ground stops to remain or potentially extend due to ongoing storm activity. Traffic Management Programs are active at LaGuardia, Newark, and John F. Kennedy (JFK) Airports in response to weather disturbances.
Flight Delays at LaGuardia, Newark, and JFK Airports
At LaGuardia Airport, arriving flights are delayed by an average of 57 minutes, while departure delays range from 2 hours 31 minutes
to 2 hours 45 minutes and continue to increase, according to FAA data. Newark Airport is experiencing average delays of 2 hours 18 minutes for both arrivals and departures. Departure delays at Newark vary from 2 hours 1 minute up to 2 hours 15 minutes and are rising. Although the ground stop at JFK Airport has been lifted, both arriving and departing flights face average delays of 5 hours 46 minutes, with airborne delays for arrivals at 15 minutes or less.
Severe Thunderstorm Watch Covers Tri-State Region
The National Weather Service has issued Severe Thunderstorm Watch number 540, effective until 9 pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
on August 7, 2026. The watch covers parts of Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York, specifically Fairfield County in Connecticut; Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic, and Union counties in New Jersey; and Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, and Westchester counties in New York. These storms have caused significant interference with airport operations across the region.
Operational Impact on Travelers and Airports
Travelers at LaGuardia face flight disruptions with significant departure delays exceeding two hours and shorter average arrival delays. Newark’s arriving and departing passengers contend with delays averaging more than two hours. Despite the lifted ground stop at JFK, delays averaging close
to six hours create substantial scheduling challenges. Due to continuing thunderstorms, the FAA’s Traffic Management Programs may extend, further impacting flight schedules at all three airports.
Official Advisory and Airport Responses
The FAA confirmed the activation of Traffic Management Programs at LaGuardia, Newark, and JFK airports due to the ongoing severe weather. LaGuardia Airport issued a notification on the social platform X, stating that weather conditions have caused flight disruptions and advising travelers to verify their flight status with airlines. The National Weather Service’s watch underscores the extent of weather-related disruptions affecting airport operations throughout the tri-state area.
