Storms pounded the U.S. East Coast on Wednesday.

More than 2,000 flights were canceled.

Busy airports like JFK and LaGuardia were suffered heavily.

Delays lasted for hours.

The National Weather Service issued warnings.

Tornado watches included a handful of states.

Torrential rain and wind closed runways.

Powerful gusts grounded planes all over.

Airlines advised travelers to stay alert for updates.

A mid-summer storm system worsened conditions.

By afternoon, airports slowly reopened.

Passengers waited for updates on their travel plans.