Looming Nor’easter Threatens East Coast Flights and Cruises

A powerful early-autumn nor’easter is taking shape off the U.S. East Coast this week, and could potentially cause headaches for travelers flying out of some of the area’s biggest airports.

The storm system, which is pulling up tropical moisture as it moves north over warm Gulf Stream waters, is projected to hit coastal areas from North Carolina through New England starting today and lasting into Sunday, Sept. 27.

According to AccuWeather, the storm is likely to bring heavy rain, sustained tropical-storm-force winds, and significant coastal flooding across the coast, with airports like Boston Logan (BOS), New York Metro (JFK, LGA, EWR), Philadelphia (PHL), and Baltimore/Washington (BWI, IAD) most at risk. The New York airports, according to the forecast from AccuWeather, which is still changing, are likely to be hit starting on Friday.

As of Wednesday morning, none of the major carriers (Delta, United, American, JetBlue) have issued broad, systemwide weather waivers for this upcoming nor’easter, but those are likely to come once the storm’s path, and impact, becomes more clear.

The storm could also impact some of the Canada and New England cruise itineraries, most likely the ones departing or returning to Manhattan, Brooklyn, Cape Liberty (NJ), and Boston. That includes ships like Viking Mars, Crystal Symphony, Norwegian Escape, Valiant Lady, Queen Mary 2, Independence of the Sea, and a handful of others. 

While the travel industry enjoyed a relatively quiet hurricane season so far this summer, this storm could deliver the season’s first widespread, multi-hub operational headache across air and ocean transit. September nor’easters are extremely rare. Only about 1% of intense nor’easters on record form in September (most occur between December and March).