Severe Storms Disrupt Holiday Travel: Thousands of Delayed Flights and a Tragic Tornado Toll

By Rich McKay

(Reuters) – Intense weather conditions caused significant disruptions in holiday travel on Saturday throughout the U.S., with fatal tornadoes impacting the southeast and heavy snowfall accompanied by strong winds along the west coast, resulting in numerous delays and cancellations of flights nationwide.

Over 7,000 flights experienced delays in the U.S. on Saturday, as reported by the tracking platform FlightAware, while more than 200 flights were canceled.

Nearly a third of all flights were delayed at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, according to FlightAware, with nearly half of flights leaving from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston facing delays.

In the southeastern U.S. states of Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, at least 10 tornadoes occurred on Saturday, resulting in one fatality near Houston, according to the National Weather Service and local authorities.

“These numbers are likely to increase,” noted forecaster Aaron Gleason from the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center.

One death and four injuries were recorded on Saturday in Brazoria County, Texas, roughly 45 miles south of Houston, as stated by the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities reported extensive damage to numerous homes and schools, with social media showcasing images of debris-strewn yards and uprooted trees scattered across roads.

In the west, powerful winds reached gusts of up to 150 mph in the higher elevations of the Tahoe Basin in California, while lower elevations experienced gusts of 50 mph this weekend, alongside forecasts of heavy rain from San Francisco to Portland, Oregon.

Meteorologists anticipate rainfall amounts between four to six inches prior to New Year’s Eve and up to three feet of snow in Lake Tahoe.

“Destructive winds are capable of uprooting trees and downing power lines,” the Weather Service cautioned. “Widespread power interruptions are likely.”

(Reporting by Rich McKay in Atlanta; editing by Diane Craft)