U.S. Storms Disrupt Flights While NASA Plans Wildfire‑Cloud Research

Severe thunderstorms swept the U.S. East Coast on July 22, 2026, forcing the Federal Aviation Administration to impose ground stops and other restrictions at major airports including JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, Boston, and Washington. More than 2,000 flights were cancelled and over 5,000 delayed, bringing the total number of affected flights above 7,000.

NASA announced a summer program to fly ER‑2 and WB‑57 aircraft into pyrocumulonimbus clouds generated by western wildfires. The INSPYRE experiment will collect real‑time data on these hazardous storm formations, using infrared sensors and ground‑based radar to improve forecasts and protect both firefighters and downstream communities. The plan calls for at least two multi‑week missions with a dozen scientific flights each.