Severe Weather Disrupts Holiday Travel: A Surge in Flight Delays and Cancellations Across the U.S.

Weather disturbances across the southern and western regions of the United States are continuing to disrupt flight timetables during one of the peak travel weekends of the year, resulting in delays and cancellations as individuals return home post-holiday.

As of 1 p.m. ET on Friday, more than 3,500 flights had experienced delays and 96 had been canceled for travel to, from, or within the United States, as reported by FlightAware. On Thursday, 8,832 flights were delayed and 791 flights were canceled regarding travel within, to, or from the U.S. partly due to intense storms that caused several tornadoes in Texas and Louisiana.

While the probability of severe weather is expected to be lower in the southern U.S. compared to Thursday, the likelihood of hail, significant rainfall, and additional tornadoes is projected to rise again on Saturday.

“There is growing concern that many storms will carry a severe weather risk on Saturday,” National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist Evan Bentley stated. “Given that it’s a busy time for holiday travel, we want to ensure anyone traveling through that area is informed about the weather threats.”

The states most susceptible to severe weather on Saturday will include Louisiana and Alabama, according to the NWS.

In a bulletin from Friday by the NWS, the Weather Prediction Center indicated that the weekend will see a “progressively wet pattern developing from the Lower Mississippi Valley, extending northeast into the Tennessee Valley, Appalachians, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast.”

Storms will likewise persist in the Pacific Northwest, bringing “heavy rainfall at lower altitudes and significant snowfall in higher elevations” in states such as Washington, Oregon, and California.

The NWS has issued flood warnings for lower elevation areas in Oregon and Washington, alongside winter storm alerts for some mountainous zones in California, Nevada, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Accumulations of snow between 6 and 18 inches are anticipated in various locations, with wind gusts potentially exceeding 70 mph.

Travel season

The likelihood of increased travel delays at major airports across the nation coincides with what is forecasted to be the busiest travel season in U.S. history.

“We anticipate processing nearly 40 million individuals from Dec. 19-Jan. 2, marking a 6.2% increase compared to last year,” stated the Transportation Security Administration in a social media announcement, emphasizing that Friday and Monday will constitute two of the three busiest travel days.

Nonetheless, the majority of holiday travelers will not be airborne but rather on the nation’s highways. As per AAA, 90% of the trips Americans will undertake this season will occur via car. For the upcoming days, much of the country is not expected to face additional snow and ice on the roads due to above-average temperatures.

“This much above-average trend is likely to lead to record high morning low temperatures throughout the Central Plains into the Mid to Upper Mississippi Valley today, across the Upper Mississippi Valley and Great Lakes region on Saturday, and the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast on Sunday,” the NWS bulletin stated.

However, with the potential for further severe weather across many regions in the South, officials are advising travelers to stay informed about the shifting weather conditions.

“As Texans and out-of-state travelers begin their journeys following the Christmas holiday, it’s essential that everyone consistently keep track of road conditions, formulate an emergency plan, and adhere to the advice of state and local officials,” Texas Governor Greg Abbott remarked Thursday in an official statement.