Snow storm cancels hundreds of New York flights

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, January 29, 2004

Snow storm cancels hundreds of New York flights

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Up to a foot of snow blanketed the New York metropolitan area on Wednesday, forcing officials to cancel hundreds of flights and close schools in a region already chilled by freezing temperatures and above-average snowfall.

While airports remained open, more than 850 flights had been canceled at the city's three major airports since the snow storm blew in on Tuesday night, airport officials said. The snow continued into Wednesday, disrupting travel plans for thousands of people.

One man said he made it into New York's LaGuardia Airport on Tuesday night after cutting short a trip in Indianapolis, Indiana, because he feared a big snowstorm.

"I was expecting a lot worse," said Richard Allen of Milltown, New Jersey, while waiting for a taxi in Manhattan. "It's winter. ... It's supposed to be like this."

Since Tuesday night, John F. Kennedy International Airport canceled 105 flights, LaGuardia canceled 319 and Newark Liberty International Airport in neighboring New Jersey canceled 430, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said.

The storm postponed until Thursday the federal court trial in Manhattan of lifestyle celebrity Martha Stewart (news - web sites) on obstruction of justice charges. The United Nations (news - web sites) closed its headquarters in New York for the day.

The national Amtrak railway said that in the northeastern United States, it expected 80 percent out of more than 120 scheduled regional trains to operate. New York subways, trains and buses were operating with delays, officials said.

Up to 12 inches of snow fell in the Connecticut suburbs northeast of New York. Several inches also fell in the New Jersey suburbs west of the city.

As much as 9 inches fell in New York City, the most populated in the United States with 8 million people. The storm pushed the winter's snowfall to 33.8 inches, 11 inches above the average of 22.4 inches by this time of year.

Several storms have so far cost the city $21 million to clear snow and ice from streets and sidewalks, about $1 million over budget, city officials said.

Linda Jackson, who works in administration in New York, donned hiking boots to go shop for clothes.

"The sidewalks were shoveled. In Manhattan, they tend to clean up quick. I put on good hiking boots, and I am OK," she said.

Temperatures were expected to hover around 30 degrees Fahrenheit Wednesday, but drop in coming days as the region remained in the grip of a two-week freeze that at times has been colder than Iceland and Canada.

Source: Agencies

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