JFK, Philly flight cancel, Snow makes travel treacherous

NBC News and msnbc.com

NEW YORK — An unusual October snowstorm grounded hundreds of planes, delayed others and caused dozens to divert Saturday from New York-area airports.

Road travel was treacherous in some parts of the Northeast, and officials urged motorists to stay home.

The tracking site Flightaware.com reported nearly 600 flights to Northeastern airports canceled, including destinations such as Philadelphia, New York, Newark, Boston and others.

La Guardia and JFK airport officials in New York said flights were coming in and going out, but airlines made their own decisions about cancellations.

One runway at Newark airport was closed but the airport remained open, officials told NBC News. All domestic outbound flights were canceled, according to Mayor Cory Booker.

Airlines diverted about 50 New York-bound flights to other airports, according to NYCAviation.com.

The smaller airport in Teterboro, N.J., was briefly closed.