Travelers are expected to encounter more flight delays and cancellations Monday after a long and stormy weekend left hundreds of thousands stranded across the country.

Airports throughout the Northeast closed for much of the weekend as Hurricane Irene churned up the eastern seaboard, packing torrential rains and dangerous winds. The closures sent ripple effects across the globe, leaving passengers from San Francisco to Singapore scrambling to make alternate travel plans.

New York City flights were set to resume Monday morning as the city’s three major airports re-opened for the first time in two days. However, officials warned it could be some time before operations fully returned to normal.

That’s unwelcome news for the hoards of people already inconvenienced by the rare but powerful storm. FlightAware, a website that tracks flight cancellations, put the total number of affected passengers at 650,000 while some industry experts say the number could approach 1 million before all is said and done.

Those traveling to or from the Northeast Monday are being urged to check with their carriers before leaving for the airport.

Source: CBS News