Nearly 2,000 Christmas Eve flights canceled and more than 10,000 delayed in US as brutal winter storms take toll on several states

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Flight delays and cancellations continue to soar amid winter storms sweeping the US – leaving travelers stranded during the holidays.

The NWS warns of blizzard conditions in the Midwest while an Arctic blast spreads across central and eastern US states throughout the holidays. The report described conditions as “a potentially life-threatening hazard for travelers.”

As a result, nearly 2,000 flights have been canceled in the US and 3,000 have been delayed as of Saturday morning, according to flight tracking site FlightAware.

The extreme conditions mean travelers are uncertain if they’ll make it to their destinations in time for Christmas as nationwide delays increase by the minute.

As it stands, Detroit, Minneapolis, and Atlanta airports have the most cancellations in the US, FlightAware reports. 

According 11Alive News, passengers were stranded at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport for hours as their flights were delayed multiple times or flat out canceled.

Traveler Christopher Fulton told 11Alive that he was planning to “stay positive” as he experienced back-to-back delays in Atlanta on his journey home to Florida.

“Since I’ve been sitting here, a couple of people’s flights have been canceled,” Fulton told the station. “It sucks for them because Christmas is on Sunday, and they won’t be home to their families in time. It’s heartbreaking.”

The National Weather Service warned Americans this week of blizzards, sub-zero temperatures, and intense winds, Insider’s Jake Epstein reported.

On Friday, the US experienced nearly 6,000 flight cancellations and over 11,000 delays due to the winter storms with Seattle, Chicago, Denver, and New York City claiming the most cancellations, FlightAware data shows.