NJ uses 4 of the top 10 worst airports for weather delays

Thanks Weather Channel, we weren’t worried enough about all the things that can go wrong when we fly.

The Weather Channel poured over a decade’s worth of data about weather delays at major U.S. airports and then ranked the top 10.

Wouldn’t you know it, 4 of the nation’s 10 worst airports for weather delays are the ones New Jerseyans are most likely to use.

I often will use Philadelphia International for both better schedules and sometimes cheaper airfare. The facility’s parking is more affordable and better laid out, too. It can be worth the extra driving time.

But it came in at number 9 on worst airports for weather-related delays. Philadelphia often falls victim to a low cloud ceiling and at 700 feet or lower is when you can expect delays there.

My son recently caught a connecting flight at JFK. Things went smoothly for him, but according to The Weather Channel’s calculations it’s the 7th worst airport in America for weather delays.

The reasons are everything from low clouds and fog, to thunderstorms and wind, but it’s the snowstorms that can cripple this airport for an entire day.

Then there is LaGuardia at number 4 on the list. While snowstorms are the biggest issue here, it’s also located on Flushing Bay and runways have been known to flood.

So guess what number 1 is? Wouldn’t you know, it’s our own Newark Liberty International Airport. Worst of the worst for weather delays, Newark can be prone to snowstorms and thunderstorms. But there’s a surprising reason why it made it all the way to the worst spot on the list.

According to The Weather Channel:

“Two of its three runways are oriented southwest to northeast. Common west to northwest crosswinds can create headaches for pilots attempting to land. This is why you could see planes circling Newark-Liberty on an otherwise picture-perfect afternoon.”

So in other words, we New Jerseyans have plenty of options when we fly, and they all suck.

Find the full top 10 list of worst airports for weather delays here.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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