Travel Alert February 2019: Two Winter Storms Affect Midwestern and Northeastern United States and Southeastern Canada

If the midwestern and northeastern United States and southeastern Canada are in your travel plans over the next couple of days, you may want to consider delaying your travel — or, at least, keep yourself updated as to the latest information pertaining to the weather — due to winter storms which have already affected at least 60 airports in 17 states and five provinces.

Travel Alert February 2019: Two Winter Storms Affect Midwestern and Northeastern United States and Southeastern Canada

Two winter storms are delivering blizzard and whiteout conditions to the upper midwestern and northeastern United States as well as southeastern Canada. By Wednesday, February 20, 2019, as much as 12 inches of snow is forecast for extreme eastern Nebraska, the western half of Iowa, and southern Minnesota, which includes Minneapolis, Des Moines, Sioux City, Omaha and Saint Paul.

Meanwhile, up to six inches of snow is forecast to accumulate in northern Oklahoma; the upper peninsula of Michigan; eastern portions of Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota; all of Wisconsin; central Minnesota; most of Maine and New Hampshire; southern portions of Ontario, Québec and New Brunswick; and most of Nova Scotia. Cities in these areas include Madison, New York, Wichita, Pittsburgh, Montréal, Kansas City, Baltimore, Saint John, Milwaukee, Concord, Brainerd, Halifax, Philadelphia, Green Bay, Newark and the District of Columbia.

Expecting up to three inches of snow in a large part of the midwestern and northeastern United States — as well as southeastern Canada — include Syracuse, Denver, Boston, Roanoke, Albany, Indianapolis, Worcester, Chicago, Providence, Amarillo, Cleveland, Saint Louis and Hartford.

The warmer areas of the southern United States may also see delays in air travel due to weather. For example, thunderstorms have been occurring; and heavy rain has been falling in much of the southern United States from eastern Texas to eastern Virginia and could add up to as many as six inches of rain, which will likely result in significant flooding.

Flight Waivers, Delays and Cancellations

If the midwestern and northeastern United States and southeastern Canada is in your travel plans over the next couple of days, expect delays and cancellations of flights. Keep up to date on the latest information pertaining to these winter weather systems which may affect your travel plans. Better yet, postponing or canceling your trip might be a better option — no matter which mode of travel you plan on taking.

If you have a flight scheduled, your flight may be delayed or canceled — and you may be eligible for a waiver of a fee to change your itinerary. If you are driving in any of the affected areas, watch out for deteriorating weather conditions and traffic problems.

Here are eleven airlines which have issued travel alerts as a result of these weather systems:

• American Airlines has issued travel alerts for eleven airports in five states for Wednesday, February 20, 2019; and Saturday, February 23, 2019 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
• Delta Air Lines has issued travel alerts for nine airports in five states for Wednesday, February 20, 2019; and Saturday, February 23, 2019 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
• United Airlines has issued travel alerts for:
  • 43 airports in 12 states for Wednesday, February 20, 2019; and Friday, February 22, 2019 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
  • Great Plains: Ten airports in five states for Tuesday, February 19, 2019; and Thursday, February 21, 2019 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
• Southwest Airlines has issued travel alerts for:
  • Des Moines, Kansas City and Omaha for Tuesday, February 19, 2019 through Wednesday, February 20, 2019; and Wednesday, March 6, 2019 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
  • Nine airports in six states in the midwestern United States and 18 airports in ten states in the northeastern United States for Wednesday, February 20, 2019; and Wednesday, March 6, 2019 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
• JetBlue Airways has issued travel alerts for eleven airports in six states for Wednesday, February 20, 2019; and Saturday, February 23, 2019 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
• Frontier Airlines has issued travel alerts for 24 airports in 13 states for Wednesday, February 20, 2019; and Friday, March 8, 2019 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
• Spirit Airlines has issued travel alerts for Baltimore, Newark, New York and Philadelphia for Wednesday, February 20, 2019; and Friday, February 22, 2019 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
• Sun Country Airlines has issued travel alerts for Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport and Madison for Tuesday, February 19, 2019 through Wednesday, February 20, 2019; and Wednesday February 27, 2019 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
• Air Canada has issued nine airports in six states and both airports which serve the greater Toronto metropolitan area for Wednesday, February 20, 2019.
• WestJet Airways has issued travel alerts for:
  • Airports in the southern Ontario region and Québec City and Montréal for Wednesday, February 20, 2019 through Thursday, February 21, 2019.
  • Airports in the New York region for Wednesday, February 20, 2019.
  • Airports in the East Coast of Canada for Thursday, February 21, 2019.
• KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has issued travel alerts for nine airports in five states for Wednesday, February 20, 2019; and Saturday, February 23, 2019 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.

Summary

Additional airlines may issue travel waivers as a result of this winter weather system as it continues to travel eastward.

Be sure to contact your airline or transportation provider for the latest information pertaining to your travels — if they are adversely affected — and please: travel safely.

Photograph ©2017 by Brian Cohen.