US-bound flights affected by snow storms

The east coast and midwest of the US have been hit by a huge snowstorm that has affected transatlantic flights to Ireland.

All early-morning flights from New York, Newark, Chicago, Atlanta and Orlando have been delayed, with Aer Lingus flight EI106 from New York cancelled.

No details have been given by Aer Rianta regarding flights leaving Ireland for the US.

More blizzards are expected over the next 24 hours with more than 1,000 flights having been cancelled in America's midwest and north-east.

Chicago's O'Hare Airport is reported to have been the worst affected, with some 400 cancellations.

A series of power cuts have been reported and meteorologists have warned that conditions are expected to get even worse.

They expect fierce blizzards and winds of up to 50mph.

The snow has already been falling for several hours across the region, with up to two feet of snow reported in parts.

Temperatures in parts of Maine plummeted to -37C.

The bad weather is being blamed for at least three deaths.