July 28, 2026
New York's ground stops extended two hours as the storm wall stalls, Denver fires a ground stop, and DC re-enters
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The 6 PM update: the FAA extended the New York airport ground stops by two hours because the thunderstorm system is barely moving, with N90 impacts now projected through 11 PM to midnight Eastern, Newark's GDP still averages 3 hours 50 minutes running to 1 AM, Philadelphia is under a ground stop on top of a GDP averaging 2 hours 33 minutes through 3 AM, the DC metro airports are back under ground stops, Denver fired both a ground stop and a GDP averaging 1 hour 43 minutes, US cancellations climbed to 2,019, and Charlotte, Orlando, and Miami remain on watch through 8 PM.
What changed since the 3 PM update
The FAA's operations plan advisory (ADVZY 213, signed 5:46 PM Eastern) delivers the key line: "GROUND STOPS FOR THE NY AIRPORTS AND SATS HAVE BEEN EXTENDED BY TWO HOURS DUE TO THE VERY SLOW MOVING WEATHER SYSTEM IN THE REGION." The advisory adds that N90 "MAY SEE CONVECTIVE WEATHER IMPACTS THROUGH 0300Z TO 0400Z" (11 PM to midnight Eastern), meaning the New York TRACON's weather window is now the longest of the day.
The disruption has also broadened westward. Denver, which the 3 PM issue flagged as "in the crosshairs for 4 PM onward," has now fired. The FAA issued a ground stop and two arrival-route restrictions for DEN due to thunderstorms, and a ground delay program is running through 11:59 PM Eastern with arrivals averaging 1 hour 43 minutes. The Traveler confirmed the ground stop and cascading delays at Denver by late afternoon.
And the DC metro airports have re-entered the ground-stop list. The 3 PM issue reported that the FAA had cancelled Reagan's ground delay program because cancellations gutted inbound demand. Now BWI, Reagan National, and Dulles are all back under ground stops ending 6:30 PM Eastern, with departure delays of 1 hour to 1 hour 45 minutes. The FAA says the weather from Philadelphia to the DC metros "IS FORECAST TO MOVE MORE RAPIDLY THROUGH THEIR AREAS" with impacts anticipated to improve between 7 and 8 PM Eastern.
The delay numbers at 6 PM
Newark remains the worst-affected hub. Its FAA airport page (updated 6:08 PM Eastern) shows the GDP averaging 3 hours 50 minutes, the same figure the 3 PM issue reported, but the program's end time has been pushed to 12:59 AM Eastern. The ground stop runs to 7:30 PM. SWAP-driven departure delays are running 2 hours to 2 hours 14 minutes and decreasing, while arrival delays are 1 hour 31 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes and increasing.
Philadelphia has deepened. A ground stop runs to 7:45 PM Eastern, and the GDP averages 2 hours 33 minutes through 2:59 AM Eastern, with departure delays of 1 hour 31 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes and increasing. Boston's GDP averages 1 hour 51 minutes through 1:59 AM Eastern. Montreal (CYUL) has a GDP averaging 56 minutes through 8:59 PM.
The largest delay figures are at the region's smaller fields. FlightCheck.live (as of 6:05 PM Eastern) reports Teterboro departure delays of 6 hours 16 minutes to 6 hours 30 minutes, and White Plains (HPN) departure delays of 6 hours 31 minutes to 6 hours 45 minutes. Both are weather-driven.
JFK's GDP is running but its FAA airport page shows no destination-specific arrival delays at this hour, with departure delays of 31 to 45 minutes and increasing. LaGuardia's ground stop runs to 7 PM with departure delays of 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 44 minutes.
Cancellations climbing past 2,000
FlightAware counts 2,019 cancellations within, into, or out of the United States today as of 6:08 PM Eastern, up from 1,732 at the 3 PM update. US delays stand at 6,153. NY1 reported that as of 4:30 PM, LaGuardia had 456 cancellations and 201 delays, JFK had 338 cancellations and 233 delays, and Newark had 255 cancellations and 371 delays, for a New York-area total of 1,049 cancellations.
Staffing triggers layered on top
The advisory lists four staffing triggers active this evening: ZNY TMU until 11 PM Eastern, D10 TRACON (Dallas) until 11 PM, ZDC Area 6 from 7 PM to midnight, and F11 TRACON (the DC-area approach control) from 7 PM to midnight. The FAA notes "THE IMPACTS OF THESE STAFFING TRIGGERS ARE MINIMAL," but F11 is the same facility whose staffing shortage has chronically constrained Newark operations, and ZNY TMU is the New York center's traffic management unit.
What's on watch through 8 PM
Charlotte, Orlando/Tampa, and Miami/Fort Lauderdale remain at POSSIBLE for ground stops through 8 PM Eastern (0000Z). None have fired yet. The FAA also lists Central Florida and South Florida CDRs (reroute restrictions) and SWAP statements as POSSIBLE through the same window. Denver arrival routes and Phoenix SWAP are POSSIBLE through 10 PM Eastern.
The FAA's daily air traffic report for Tuesday flags thunderstorm risks at Charlotte, Denver, Philadelphia, Florida (FLL, MCO, MIA), New York (EWR, JFK, LGA), and Washington (BWI, DCA, IAD). A Flood Watch remains in effect for the New York tri-state area through Wednesday evening, with 2 to 4 inches of rain likely.
The next FAA planning webinar is at 7:15 PM Eastern (2315Z).
Rebooking options
All four major carriers have waivers open for today's disruption, per Travel Market Report:
- Delta: Covers EWR, HPN, JFK, LGA for July 27-28. Rebook by July 31. Ticket purchased by July 26. Delta advisory.
- United: Covers EWR, JFK, LGA, HPN, IAD, PHL for July 27-28. Rebook by July 30. Ticket by July 26. United travel alerts.
- American: Covers JFK, LGA, EWR, HPN, PHL, DCA, BWI for July 27-28. Rebook by July 30. Ticket by July 26. American travel alerts.
- JetBlue: Covers JFK, LGA, EWR, HPN, ISP for July 27-29. Rebook by August 1. Ticket by July 26. JetBlue travel alerts.
That’s the reading for this issue.
- Newark's delays approach 4 hours as New York's ground stops re-fire for the afternoon wave, while DC's GDP is cancelled and South Florida sees first impacts Jul 28
- JFK and LaGuardia's delay programs are cancelled as cancellations gut demand, while DC joins the delay list and the afternoon storm risk shifts south Jul 28
- JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark are under ground stops this morning as the Northeast storm wall goes live, with delay programs running through tonight Jul 28
- JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, Philadelphia, and DC are at PROBABLE for ground stops today as the severe-storm risk shifts from Chicago to the Mid-Atlantic Jul 28
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