What you need to know about Winter Storm Juno

January 26, 2015 - Advisors, Featured - Tagged: , , - no comments

Complied by Susie Reese

Updated: 7:05 p.m., Jan. 26, 2015

Latest Developments

– JetBlue released this statement: on BlueTales “For customers still currently scheduled to fly Monday or Tuesday, we’re waiving change/cancel fees and fare differences for select cities in the region to rebook through Friday, January 30, 2015. Visit jetblue.com for the full details including the list of cities.”

– United has waived change fees and fare differences for flights from Jan. 26 to Jan 28 for the airports listed here. When rescheduled travel commences by Jan. 30, 2015, travel may be rescheduled in any fare class, same cabin. For all other dates and ticket uses, the change fee will be waived, but a difference in fare may apply. Travel must be completed a year from the ticket’s original issue date.

– Southwest rescheduling procedure includes changes to flights from Washington D.C. metro airports through Jan. 27 and changes to flights from New York area and Boston area airports through Jan. 28. See a complete list of airports here.

– Starwood Hotels Winter Storm Juno Statement: “As Winter Storm Juno approaches, all Starwood hotels are open, operational and following winter storm protocols to ensure the safety of our guests and associates. Hotels in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Boston are waiving cancellation fees for guests through Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015, while hotels in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC are waiving fees through Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015. For further information, please visit http://www.starwoodhotels.com/corporate/support/index.html” via Starwood Hotels Facebook.

– Now more than 6,600 flights have been cancelled, according to CNN.

– NY MTA will shutdown by 11 p.m. as per MTA Service Advisory website.

– NJ Transit will shutdown by 10 p.m.  and won’t resume normal schedule until Thursday. Light rail and buses may run on Wednesday. Last trains tonight will be 8 pm. according to NJ.com.

– American Airlines offers flexibility options to ticketed customers whose travel may be impacted in the event. If you are traveling Jan. 26-28 and your ticket was issued no later than Jan. 26, you may travel Jan. 26-Feb. 1. The ticket reissue charge will be waived for one ticket change. See a complete list of the affected airports here.

END OF UPDATE — ALL INFO ABOVE IS AS OF 7:01 p.m. (Information is subject to change. Contact your travel consultant for further details) END OF UPDATE –

– The storm is now being referred to as “Snowmaggedon”

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Important Links:

– List: Airlines waive change fees for Northeast storm (Most comprehensive list of airline cancellation policies via USA Today)

– Blizzard Preparedness Information from the National Weather Service

– Weathering the Storm: Safety Tips for Ice and Snow by Allstate     

Scary Snow

Potentially the biggest storm of the decade is coming the Northeast tonight. Winter Storm Juno has already blown through Chicago and the Midwest, and is now headed toward Washington, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston with a renewed vigor, thanks to the Jetstream. Preliminary snowfall amounts have totals from as little as six inches in Philly to as many as “2 ft+” in Boston, according to Weather.com.  

  “Very highly populated areas of the Northeast are going to get crushed by snow,” said Tom Moore, coordinating meteorologist for The Weather Channel. But New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a press conference Sunday that “this could be the biggest snowstorm in the history of the city.”  

 While it could certainly rival the Blizzard of ’96, snowfall totals in NYC are right now 12”-18” with the hardest hit areas to be around Boston with more than 24”; however, the storm is more just pretty white flakes. Blizzard warnings will go into effect on Monday with sustained winds at 20-30 miles per hour, gusts up to 40 mph. Coastal areas of Massachusetts can see gusts up to 70 mph.

 

Quick Facts about Juno and Its Impact

– More than 29 million people will be in a Blizzard Warning from Washington to Maine.

– Another 11 million will incur travel difficulties with flurries stretching as far south as Georgia.

– More than 3,500 flights have been canceled on Monday and Tuesday, according to FlightAware.

– Severe delays are expected for flights still scheduled with airport closures possible late Monday through Tuesday.

– Record snowfalls are expected (see map above).

 

Keep checking back as we’ll update as more information becomes available, and of course, don’t forget to bundle up.

Cover Photo: blvdone/Shutterstock.com