Epic East Coast Blizzard Disrupting Everyone’s Travel Plans

What should you do if you’re set to travel this weekend? (Photo: Thinkstock)

A huge winter storm is set to pound the East Coast this weekend, wreaking havoc on the travel plans of thousands of people.

Winter Storm Jonas will surface on Thursday night with icy rain and some snow, but will turn into a major snowstorm by Friday, hammering large parts of the eastern United States throughout the weekend. It is predicted to be the biggest storm so far this winter, with Washington, D.C., likely to take the brunt of the storm’s power.

Heavy snow will blanket up to 15 states, with cities New York, Baltimore, and Washington preparing for blizzard conditions. Strong, potentially damaging winds, along with coastal storm surges, are expected from Massachusetts down to South Carolina.

Related: What to Do If Bad Weather Screws Up Your Flight

By Thursday, more than 70 million people — a quarter of the country’s population — were on blizzard watch, winter storm watch, winter storm warning, winter weather advisory, or freezing rain advisory, according to the Weather Channel, while Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a state of emergency and ordered all public schools to close on Friday.

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory also declared a state of emergency and revealed plans to mobilize the state’s emergency response team. The governors of Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania closely followed suit.

Weather of this nature will probably cripple transport systems across the country, with flight delays and cancellations already mounting.

According to flightaware.com, more than 615 flights have already been canceled for Friday, with that number rising by the minute.

Several airlines, including United, American, Delta, Southwest, and JetBlue, have already issued travel waivers, allowing passengers who are set to travel this weekend the chance to change their flights through various East Coast cities without charge.

Related: 4 Things an Expert Traveler Does on Every Trip

Delta has vowed to issue refunds for flights that are canceled or heavily delayed due to the weather.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has issued a hazardous-travel advisory, warning New Yorkers to avoid traveling over the weekend, as the region is expected to receive up to 12 inches of snow in a two-day period.

So with the biggest storm of the season heading our way, what should you do if you have plans to travel?

First, contact your airline to establish whether your flight is likely to be affected, and find out if you have the option to cancel or reschedule without a fee. If you have that option, and your travel isn’t completely necessary, or you don’t fancy the idea of dealing with potential delays or cancellations, then cancel. But if you still plan on braving the airport, sign up for alerts from your airline so you will receive email or text notifications in case there are any changes to your flight.

Keep a close eye on the weather forecast at both your departure and arrival airports, and be aware that changing your flight early is likely to be much easier than trying to change it last-minute.

If possible, do not check baggage. If you successfully get through check-in but your flight is delayed afterward, it is much harder for an airline to switch you to another flight if your bags are checked. Keeping your luggage with you makes you more flexible.

Rail travel is usually a more reliable option than flying when bad weather hits, but delays are still possible, and winter storms of this magnitude have led to cancellations in the past. If you plan on traveling by train this weekend, keep an eye on the Amtrak travel alerts page on their website for live updates.

Driving is set to be hazardous throughout the weekend, with heavy snow and high winds leading to limited visibility and dangerous road conditions, with the worst of the weather expected Saturday into Sunday.

While many roads will be pretreated, visibility will still be heavily diminished, and local weather experts are advising that people do not risk driving at all on Saturday.

If you plan on hitting the highway anywhere in the storm-affected area, check the Intellicast highway-conditions map before leaving home, and ensure that your car is adequately prepared for the extreme road conditions.

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