Chaos Hits US and Canada with Brutal Winter Blast
A brutal winter storm and polar vortex are wreaking havoc across much of the US and eastern Canada. Nearly 10,000 flights have been cancelled this weekend as freezing temperatures and heavy snow slam major airports.
Flight Havoc: Thousands Cancelled
By 10:30 a.m. on 24 January, 3,500 US flights for Saturday were axed. Toronto’s Pearson Airport (YYZ) faced 170 cancellations amid forecasts of up to 20cm of snow on 25 January. Air Canada has already cancelled 179 flights across its various services in recent days.
Sunday looks worse with 8,800 US flight cancellations reported and almost 500 at Pearson alone — wiping out more than one-third of scheduled flights.
Freezing Temperatures and Snow Across Major Cities
Weather experts have warned that two-thirds of the US population is bracing for this “monster winter storm,” which will dump snow and ice over 2,000 miles, from Texas all the way to New England.
Toronto and Montreal face bitter cold and heavy snow through the weekend and into next week, with up to 20cm expected at both YYZ and Montreal’s YUL airport on 25-26 January, according to The Weather Network.
Airlines Issue Warnings as Temperatures Plunge
Air Canada has issued travel advisories for over a dozen airports, including New York’s LGA, BOS, JFK, Ottawa (YOW), and Washington D.C. (DCA). WestJet follows suit, covering Halifax (YHZ), Quebec City (YQB), Atlanta (ATL), and more.
“It’s a bitterly cold morning with temperatures feeling like -24°C with the wind chill,” Pearson Airport officials warned on their Twitter feed. They promise to monitor the severe conditions closely and prep for the worst as snow arrives.
“Two-thirds of the US population is facing down a monster winter storm and extreme cold.” – CNN
