Travel Turmoil: Severe Weather Disrupts US Flights During Peak Weekend Rush

As the United States prepares for one of its busiest travel weekends of the year, the risk of severe weather has already resulted in hundreds of flight cancellations.

Tornado alerts were issued in southern states including Texas and Louisiana on Thursday, CNN reported. In Texas, the Federal Aviation Administration mandated ground stops at two airports, CBS stated. Governor Greg Abbott of Texas activated emergency response measures in the state on Thursday.

“Numerous regions across the U.S. are under observation for potentially dangerous weather for several days around New Year’s Day,” the National Weather Service noted in a post on X.

Close to 800 flights were canceled in the U.S. on Thursday, with more than 90 flights already canceled on Friday, as per Flight Aware. Seven flights have been canceled in advance for Saturday.

In a video shared on X, Evan Bentley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center, mentioned a “severe weather risk” impacting east Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama for the upcoming weekend is a primary concern. While specifics, such as the intensity of the threat and the “exact corridor,” are still uncertain, Bentley indicated, “we have an increasing worry that numerous storms posing a severe weather risk will occur there on Saturday.

“We anticipate multiple rounds of storms with the possibility of all types of hazards, from hail to winds to potentially even tornadoes,” Bentley said. “Given that it is an active time of year for holiday travel, we want to ensure that anyone in that corridor or passing through it is cognizant of the weather hazards.”

He added: “Ensure that if you find yourself in that portion of the country on Saturday, you have multiple methods to receive watches and warnings, and that you monitor the forecast for any updates as the event approaches.”

Nearly 40 million passengers are projected to be screened by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) between 19 December and 2 January, which represents a rise from the previous year, according to the TSA. Friday, 27 December, was anticipated to be among the top three busiest days during this timeframe, the TSA announced on X.

The AAA predicted that over 100 million individuals would travel 50 miles (80km) or more from 21 December to 1 January.