Storms battered 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 alerted travelers.

Tornado watches covered several states.

Intense rain and wind closed runways.

Forceful gusts grounded planes all over.

Airlines told flyers to watch for changes.

A late-summer storm system made things worse.

By afternoon, airports slowly reopened.

Passengers looked for the latest news on their travel plans.