Over A Thousand Canceled Flights Due To Nor’easter

The meteorological ladies have it out for the Northeast. First there was Sandy, and now there’s (winter storm) Athena.

Planning on going there anytime soon? You might need to wait a little longer than you think. With Athena The Nor’easter on its way to the Atlantic states, parts of New England flights are being canceled left and right. Regulators obviously learned a lesson from last week’s Hurricane Sandy.

On the ground in New York City, I see snow/slush flurries outside my window. The weather forecasts wind gusts over 30 mph later today in my neck of the woods in Brooklyn with heavy snow in the early evening. Nantucket, meanwhile, is expecting gusts over 50 mph. The areas with the heaviest snow are expected near the Berkshires and the Catskills.

In other words, if you were planning to travel right now, you might not have a choice. News outlets report that airlines have canceled about 1,200 flights, following more than 20,000 flight cancellations last week from Sandy.

As areas without power and heat brace for a winter weather terror, there are a few things you can do to help Sandy relief. If you are in the greater New York/New Jersey region, you can find volunteer opportunities here. In particular, areas without power or heat are particularly susceptible to Athena, since many have only tarps to protect them from the winter winds and cold. Whether you’re in NYC or elsewhere, a group has created an Amazon Wedding Registry list with supplies needed for the relief effort.

So what should you do in place of heading out to catch a flight bound for NYC? Maybe do some online shopping instead.

[Image credit: Flickr user NASA Goddard Photo and Video]