Hundreds Of CA Flights Cancelled As Mega Storm Causes Travel Chaos

A massive winter storm wreaking havoc on travel across the United States is resulting in hundreds of delays and canceled flights at California airports on Saturday.

Roughly 140 million people, or more than 40 percent of the U.S. population, were under a winter storm warning from New Mexico to New England. The National Weather Service forecast warned of widespread heavy snow and a band of catastrophic ice stretching from east Texas to North Carolina.

While no winter weather watches or warnings are in effect in California, the monster storm was having a ripple effect at airports across California, according to flight tracking website FlightAware.com.

As of 3 p.m., the following delays were reported at some California airports:

• Los Angeles International Airport: 155 delays, 84 cancellations
• John Wayne Airport in Orange County: 15 delays, 15 cancellations
• San Diego International Airport: 54 delays, 34 cancellations
• Ontario International Airport: 7 delays, 12 cancellations
• San Francisco International Airport: 67 delays, 50 cancellations
• Oakland International Airport: 5 delays, 2 cancellations
• Sacramento International Airport: 21 delays, 13 cancellations

By 11 a.m., more than 14,000 flights within, into or out of the United States had been delayed or canceled, according to FlightAware. The most affected airport was Dallas-Fort Worth, where more than 75 percent of departing flights were canceled on Saturday.

Other major airports experiencing significant disruptions include Nashville, Atlanta and Denver.

In interviews with ABC7 Los Angeles, travelers at LAX said they were adjusting their plans in anticipation of winter weather.

Debi Shaha, who was traveling to Chicago, told ABC7 she was relieved her flight was still on schedule.

"I can't wait to go home right now because I cannot be a part of this delay and wait forever at the airport. It's a hassle," Shaha said.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.