Winter Storm Ezra Triggers Third Day of Travel Chaos as ‘Bomb Cyclone’ Threat Looms

Winter Storm Ezra continued to wreak havoc across the U.S. Northeast, Midwest and Great Lakes for a third straight day on Monday, disrupting one of the busiest holiday travel periods of the year. Nearly 6,000 flights were delayed and 751 canceled as of 3:25 p.m. ET, according to FlightAware, while more than 3,600 flights have been canceled and over 30,000 delayed since Friday. With airlines operating near full capacity, travelers faced long waits, limited rebooking options and accommodation challenges as carriers struggled to reposition crews and aircraft.

Meteorologists warned the storm was intensifying into a powerful “bomb cyclone,” bringing blizzard conditions, flooding rain, ice and strong winds from Wisconsin to Maine. The rapid drop in atmospheric pressure driving the system triggered wild temperature swings, including a plunge from near 60°F to the 20s in Philadelphia overnight. Authorities cautioned that hazardous road conditions, poor visibility and blowing snow contributed to multiple vehicle pileups, prompting advisories to avoid non-essential travel. Power outages and broader regional disruptions were expected through early Tuesday.

Air travel was further strained by Federal Aviation Administration ground stops and weather-related delays at major hubs including Washington Dulles, Detroit, Boston, Newark, Albany, Bangor, Burlington and Minneapolis-St. Paul. Delta Air Lines experienced the highest share of cancellations and delays, with its stock slipping nearly 3% in afternoon trading, while shares of United, American and Alaska Air also declined about 2%. Airlines including Delta, United, American and JetBlue waived change fees for affected travelers as operations remained tightly interlinked and recovery efforts continued.

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