All three New York City-area airports are facing major flight delays due to thunderstorms rolling in on Wednesday.

Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) has a ground stop in effect until 5:15pm ET. 

Departing flights are experiencing average delays of 135 minutes and climbing, while arrivals are running about 40 minutes behind schedule. 

JFK International Airport, the New York area's busiest airport with roughly 60 million travelers a year, has also imposed a ground stop until 5:00pm. 

Earlier today, departures averaged 149 minutes, but a current snapshot shows delays for 56 flights at about 56 minutes each, reflecting a slight improvement. 

Arrival operations remain heavily impacted, and the probability of extending the ground stop remains medium. 

LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is under a ground stop until 4:45pm, with departures currently delayed about 60 minutes and increasing. 

Earlier cumulative delays affected more than 700 flights, with an average of 120 minutes, and some flights were held up to 177 minutes. 

Travelers heading to the airports to pick up friends or family are urged to check flight statuses before leaving home and expect extended wait times. 

Airline officials continue to advise passengers to monitor real-time updates as the thunderstorms persist through the afternoon. 

Meteorologists said Wednesday that the tri-state area has a slightly upgraded risk for severe weather later in the day.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued an alert well ahead of the potential threat, upgrading it to the risk level for the region to 'marginal.'

While still relatively low, severe isolated weather is possible. 

'A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 8pm and 11pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 11pm,' the NWS said. 

'Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.' 

The Federal Aviation Administration also shows ground stops for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Baltimore/Washington International Airport, and Virginia's Dulles International Airport, also due to thunderstorms.

At Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, there is a ground delay with an average of 37 minutes.

Baltimore/Washington International Airport has delays averaging 60 minutes and a departure delay with an average of 60 minutes 

Departure delays at  Dulles International Airport (IAD) are about 45 minutes.