Thousands of Flights Delayed Over Busy Memorial Day Weekend

As Americans headed home from Memorial Day weekend, more than 3,000 flights were delayed by Monday afternoon, according to FlightAware.

The delays were largely caused by strong thunderstorms sweeping across the South, Plains, and Mississippi Valley.

The FAA has issued a ground stop for all flights heading to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. Travelers should expect delays averaging 75 minutes, with wait times continuing to increase, Newsweek said.

Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, one of the busiest hubs in the country, also saw delays due to heavy storms. San Francisco International Airport is experiencing 30-minute delays for arriving flights due to low cloud cover.

Flight delays weren't the only problem. Travel disruptions continued Monday as at least 86 flights were canceled across the US.

Earlier in the weekend, similar storms forced the FAA to briefly stop flights heading to Denver and Orlando.

The National Weather Service is warning of several rounds of thunderstorms expected to impact the Southern Plains, Mid-South, and also Tennessee Valley.

The forecast included threats of large hail, strong winds, flash flooding, and even tornadoes. Areas from Texas to Georgia, including cities like San Antonio, Mobile, and Columbus, were at risk.

Storms Disrupt Holiday Travel Across US

In Houston, forecasters expected two separate rounds of storms on Monday, worsening the impact on travel. While storms hit the South, parts of Colorado, Wyoming, and also Montana also experienced rough weather.

Adding to the weekend's travel troubles, a Southwest Airlines flight from Tampa to Denver may have been struck by lightning Sunday night, Forbes said. The plane landed safely, and no injuries were reported, but the aircraft was taken out of service.

The weather chaos comes as Americans travel in record numbers. According to AAA, over 45 million people were expected to travel this Memorial Day weekend—a new record, and about 3.6 million of them by air.

Dallas-Fort Worth Airport is gearing up for a busy travel period, expecting to handle around 1.4 million travelers.

"Airports are bracing for another bustling holiday weekend," AAA said in a statement. Air travel this year is up nearly 2% from last year and 12% higher than pre-pandemic levels.

As storms continue Monday night, delays may grow. However, flood watches in Texas are expected to end by Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, the FAA has not yet issued ground stops in nearby states like Louisiana and Mississippi, though thunderstorm warnings are active.

Travelers are urged to check with airlines and watch local weather alerts before heading to the airport.

Originally published on vcpost.com

Tags

Flights, Memorial day, Storm