LaGuardia halts ALL flights out of NYC as huge nor’easter barrels across NY state

A ground stop temporarily halted planes at New York’s LaGuardia Airport as a winter storm threatened to wreak havoc in the Northeast and could dump up to three inches of heavy, wet snow in the Big Apple.

Flight cancelations, delays, school closings, and power outages were already affecting upstate New York, northern New Jersey and northeastern Pennsylvania.

LaGuardia Airport issued a ground stop Tuesday morning that is causing ongoing delays. Flights have resumed, but are averaging delays of about two hours. 

Meanwhile, over on the West Coast, California is getting battered yet again with another storm. San Francisco International Airport was experiencing delays averaging 1 hour and 20 minutes citing ‘weather/wind.’

‘Double-Whammy! Storm-weary Californians are facing another strong Atmospheric River Event and the Northeast is bracing for a powerful Nor’easter,’ the National Weather Service tweeted. ‘Widespread considerable flood threats in California. Dangerous to impossible travel in the Northeast from snow, and coastal flooding.’

Snow is already piling up in Pittsfield, Massachusetts as a winter storm threatened to wreak havoc in the Northeast and could dump up to three inches of heavy, wet snow in the Big Apple

New England and parts of New York are bracing for a winter storm due to last into Wednesday

A ground stop temporarily halted planes at New York’s LaGuardia Airport on Tuesday morning

Flights have resumed at LaGuardia but delays are averaging two hours. Passengers should budget extra travel time and confirm their flight with airline before heading to the airport

By the time the multi-day nor’easter blows through Wednesday, snow totals are expected to range from a few inches to a few feet, depending on the area.

The National Weather Service said that in New York, two inches of snow per hour or more was falling in higher elevations, in the eastern Catskills through the mid-Hudson Valley, central Taconics and Berkshires. 

The airport in Albany, New York, which began clearing snow on Monday night, was open, but canceled 16 morning departures early Tuesday. 

Bradley International Airport in Connecticut also was open and clearing snow; about 15 percent of its flights were canceled.

More than 26 million Americans were under winter storm warnings, watches or advisories. More than 40 million face high wind advisories or watches. 

The powerful winter storm toppled a tree onto a house in Pittsfield, Massachusetts on Tuesday

NWS said expected snow totals from the storm, which is expected to wind up Wednesday, range from a foot to 18 inches in higher elevations in Massachusetts, to 4 to 6 inches in Boston

The National Weather Service said that in New York, two inches of snow per hour or more was falling in higher elevations, in the eastern Catskills through the mid-Hudson Valley, central Taconics and Berkshires

Wet, heavy snow snapped tree branches and downed power lines across New York’s capital region. More than 30,000 homes and businesses in the Albany area were without power

NWS said expected snow totals from the storm, which is expected to wind up Wednesday, range from a foot to 18 inches in higher elevations in Massachusetts, to 4 to 6 inches in Boston

Meanwhile, California is getting battered yet again. San Francisco International Airport was experiencing delays averaging 1 hour and 20 minutes citing ‘weather/wind’

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Snow was falling at rates of up to three inches per hour in some areas. 

‘We are advising those who live in these areas not to travel at this time,’ the New York State Police tweeted.

‘This is shaping up to be a unique winter storm for our small state in that there will be big differences in snowfall amounts depending on where you are located,’ said Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, who ordered all executive branch state office buildings closed. 

‘Some towns may receive a significant snowfall total, while others may receive a fraction of that amount or maybe even just rain.’

Roads in upstate NY were already treacherous Tuesday morning as the storm barrels through

‘This could be deadly,’ New York Gov. Kathy Hochul warned at a briefing in Albany. ‘Let me repeat: This will be a dangerous storm. Please stay off the roads for your own safety’

Wet, heavy snow snapped tree branches and downed power lines across New York’s capital region. More than 30,000 homes and businesses in the Albany area were without power.

The snowfall totals will be among the highest of the season, said meteorologist Andrew Orrison of the weather service office in College Park, Maryland.

‘It has been below average for snowfall across the Northeast this year, and so this nor’easter will be very impactful,’ he said.

Rain was turning into snow across parts of New England and winds were picking up. 

In New Hampshire, it was Election Day for town officeholders, but more than 70 communities postponed voting because of the storm.

‘We know that the driving conditions are going to be treacherous,’ Patrick Moody of AAA New England said.

The weather service said expected snow totals from the storm, which is expected to wind up Wednesday, range from a foot to 18 inches in higher elevations in Massachusetts, to 4 to 6 inches in Boston. 

Higher elevations in southwest New Hampshire could get up to 2 feet of snow, and Augusta, Maine, could see 8 inches to a foot.

The storm in the Northeast came as California continued to face severe weather. Crews rushed to repair a levee break on a storm-swollen river in California’s central coast as yet another atmospheric river arrived this week with the potential to wallop the state´s swamped farmland and agricultural communities.