Anyone flying between Ireland and New York this week may have felt the knock-on effects of Thursday’s weather. Severe storms and a rare November tornado warning caused widespread flight cancellations, diversions and multi-hour delays across New York City’s three major airports on Thursday, November 12, 2026, with three Dublin-bound flights from JFK among those affected.
Hundreds of flights across the US Northeast were cancelled or delayed, and the disruption ran into Friday morning as airlines worked to get aircraft and crews back where they needed to be.
Which Dublin Flights Were Affected by the New York Storms?
Three Dublin services on the JFK route were caught up in the disruption:
- Aer Lingus EI104, scheduled at 04:30
- Aer Lingus EI109, scheduled at 07:00
- Delta DL044, scheduled at 08:45
Fair warning: the listing doesn’t say whether those are departure or arrival times, or which time zone they’re in. Passengers booked on any of them, or on connections onward from Dublin, should check directly with Aer Lingus or Delta for rebooking options. For a recent example of disruption at the Irish end, see our report on Dublin Airport flight cancellations.
What Happened at JFK, LaGuardia and Newark?
The Federal Aviation Administration put ground stops and arrival holds in place at all three New York airports as the storms moved through on Thursday afternoon. No airport closed outright, but the pattern differed from one airport to the next.
JFK
JFK took the most direct hit. Departures bound for JFK were held until about 4pm local time, and inbound flights faced average delays at their origin airports of more than four hours, followed by long queues on the tarmac once they did arrive.
LaGuardia
LaGuardia had the earliest ground stop of the afternoon, which ran until 1:45pm. Some arrivals were delayed by more than an hour, and gate holds and taxi delays passed 90 minutes in the early afternoon, leaving a good few passengers short of their connections.
Newark Liberty
Newark, across the Hudson in New Jersey, was under a ground stop, with flights bound for Newark held at their origin airports until at least 3:45pm. FAA delay programmes slowed both arrivals and departures there, and inbound aircraft were still running late after the hold lifted.
Where Were New York Flights Diverted?
Flights heading for New York during the worst of the storm were sent to regional airports, including Bradley International in Connecticut and Boston Logan. Diversions tend to cause a second wave of trouble the following day, because the aircraft and crews end up in the wrong city for their next scheduled departures.
The Tornado Warning Near JFK Airport
The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for southern Queens near JFK at 1:14pm ET, covering a storm near Rockaway Beach that was moving northeast at about 15mph towards the airport. The warning, which also took in part of southwestern Nassau County on Long Island, ran until 2pm. Radar picked up rotation over Queens, but no tornado touchdown was confirmed in New York.
A tornado warning for New York City in November is a rare event. Emergency managers advised residents of Queens and Nassau County to shelter until the danger passed.
Further south, a tornado was confirmed near Wilmington, Delaware, where damage near Christiana Hospital was consistent with a tornado. It was only the second November tornado recorded in Delaware since records began in 1950.
Flooding, Hail and Road Closures Around the Airports
The same coastal storm system brought heavy rain, flash flooding and severe thunderstorms across the tri-state area on Thursday afternoon. Getting to the airport was a bit of a pain too: parts of the JFK Expressway closed because of flash flooding, traffic was diverted, and at least one vehicle was reported stuck in floodwater nearby.
Streets flooded in Rockaway, and vehicles were trapped in high water in New Jersey by early afternoon. Quarter-sized hail fell in New Jersey, and water rescues were under way in Aston and Chester Township in Pennsylvania. At the other end of New York State, snow fell in Piseco in the Adirondacks.
Will Flights From New York Be Disrupted on Friday?
Some knock-on disruption carried into Friday, November 13. Light rain and showers were forecast to continue overnight, with about 0.75 inches of rain expected for New York City, and airlines were still repositioning aircraft and crews after Thursday’s diversions and holds.
Port Authority officials asked travellers to check with their airline about specific flights and not to rely on posted departure times. If you are flying back to Ireland from New York over the coming days, a few things will help:
- Check your flight status directly with the airline before setting off for the airport.
- Track cancellation totals on FlightAware for a wider view of how each airport is coping.
- Look at the FAA’s National Airspace System Status page for live ground stops and delay programmes.
Anyone landing into Dublin on a delayed flight can check which terminal they need with our explainer on Dublin Airport’s two terminals.
FAQ
Did a Tornado Touch Down in New York on November 12, 2026?
No tornado touchdown was confirmed in New York City on November 12, 2026. The National Weather Service warning for southern Queens near JFK ran from 1:14pm to 2pm ET after radar showed rotation, and a tornado was confirmed in Delaware the same afternoon.
Did JFK Airport Close During the Storm?
JFK did not close fully during the November 12 storm. The FAA used ground stops and arrival holds to limit traffic, and flights already heading for New York were diverted to Bradley International and Boston Logan.
