NEW YORK — Heavy rain and strong winds pounded parts of New York City Thursday, wreaking havoc on travel plans ahead of what was expected to be a calm Memorial Day weekend.
The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning until 10:45 a.m. for parts of Manhattan, Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx, with rain and thunderstorms expected through the afternoon.
Just before 10 a.m., independent journalist Janet Wu shared a video with X of an “unusual thunderstorm” that hit midtown Manhattan.
The extreme weather also affected flights to and from airports in the region, and the Federal Aviation Administration ordered ground stops across the region.
All ground stops have since been lifted, but the effects will likely be felt throughout the day.
As of 2 p.m., more than 120 flights had been canceled due to the extreme weather at three of the nation's busiest airports: Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark, according to data compiled by FlightAware.
Significant delays were also reported affecting at least 1,300 flights, including 432 at JFK, 543 at LaGuardia, and 390 at Newark.
Ground delays at LaGuardia continued for about 97 minutes early Thursday afternoon, according to the FAA's Air Traffic Control System Command Center.
The agency urges all passengers to check with their airline to see if their flight has been affected.
