northeast travel delays

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1,600+ flights canceled, thousands more delayed amid stormy weather in the Northeast

More than 1,600 U.S. flights have been canceled and nearly 5,800 more have been delayed as of 5:00 p.m. ET Monday, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware .

Strong weather moving through the Northeast, especially around New York, seems to be behind most of the issues.

The Federal Aviation Administration warned that flying in the New York metro area could be a little more chaotic this summer with fewer air traffic controllers available to handle flights than needed. As a result, airlines were preemptively asked to reduce their schedules in an effort to reduce the strain on the system.

Even still, when summer storms hit, flights are often delayed. That leaves planes out of place and the controller shortage could contribute to longer recovery times.

Several airlines have issued waivers for passengers in affected cities to rebook their itineraries.

Airlines offering waivers

Check their websites for more details. 

• American Airlines
• Delta Air Lines is not currently offering weather waivers.
• United Airlines
• Southwest Airlines
• JetBlue is not currently offering weather waivers.
• Spirit Airlines is not currently offering weather waivers.
• Frontier Airlines is not currently offering weather waivers.

Advice for summer travel

If you’re traveling this summer and want to avoid similar headaches, it’s a good idea to consider some of the following guidelines when booking your tickets:

• Travel early. Delays and cancellations tend to build up throughout the day, so morning flights are usually less likely to be affected.
• Avoid connections if you can. The fewer flights you have to take, the less likely you are to run into problems.
• Consider buying travel insurance. If something goes wrong, trip insurance can help you recoup the costs if you need to rebook or spend the night somewhere unexpected.

Cruising Altitude: Airlines make bank from bag fees even if you hate them

What you’re entitled to if your flight is canceled or delayed

If your flight is canceled for any reason, you’re entitled to a full refund if you choose not to travel on an alternative itinerary you’re offered, even if you originally booked a nonrefundable ticket.

Delays, however, can get a little more complicated. Weather-related delays are often not covered by airline compensation policies, because they’re typically considered outside the carrier’s control. That’s why the flexibility offered by waivers is especially important when bad weather rolls through. But the Department of Transportation has a dashboard that outlines the situations in which delayed passengers can be compensated by most airlines, and what they may be entitled to. 

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected]

Deadly April storm batters Northeast, snarling travel and knocking out power to half a million

A powerful April storm is hitting the Northeast on Thursday, dumping rain and snow with howling tropical force winds, prompting major airport delays and whiteout road conditions, and knocking out power to over half a million customers.

The strong storm system has been crawling across the U.S. since the weekend — and has already led to several weather-related deaths.

In Pennsylvania, two people died in separate incidents in which a tree fell on the car they were in during Wednesday’s storms. An elderly man died in Delaware County, and an elderly woman , described as in her early 80s, was also killed in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, NBC Philadelphia reported.

Another death was reported in Armonk, New York, Wednesday evening after a tree fell onto a car, killing the operator, North Castle police said. 

As of Thursday morning, the system is making its way out of the Northeast, with 5 million people under wind alerts across New England and 8 million under winter alerts.

The system will produce heavy, wet snow over north-central New England and northeast New York and pass through Maine on Thursday, the National Weather Service Prediction Center forecast. An additional 12 inches of snowfall is possible through Friday.

The system will create “significant impacts from heavy snow and wind,” and perilous travel due to whiteout conditions, snow-covered roads, tree damage and power outages, the NWS said.

Disrupted travel, crashes and power outages

Air travel has already been affected, with over 1,200 delays and over 300 cancellations inside, into or out of the U.S. reported, according to Flight Aware data — all amid a week of busy spring break bookings.

The storm system has also wreaked havoc on roads.

In New Hampshire, state troopers responded to three tractor-trailer rollover crashes in less than seven hours by late Wednesday. State police urged locals “to avoid unnecessary travel.” Massachusetts State Police also responded to multiple crashes Wednesday evening, describing road conditions as “poor.”

Powerful winds have whipped through the region since Wednesday, downing power lines and trees.

Nationally, over 500,000 customers are without power — including over 235,000 in Maine, 53,000 in West Virginia and over 51,000 in New York as of 8:30 a.m., according to PowerOutage.us.

By 2:30 p.m. ET, more than 640,000 were without power with over 334,000 out in Maine and over 173,000 out in New Hampshire.

In New Hampshire as of early Thursday, more than 100,000 customers were without power, the state’s division of homeland security and emergency management said. The agency’s State Emergency Operations Center has been activated in response to the storm.

New York State Electric and Gas, which serves the upstate region, said Wednesday’s severe weather led to 180 downed wires and more than 30 broken poles.

“NYSEG pre-staged more than 2,100 additional line workers and tree personnel across its service areas in preparation for the storm and are currently shifting resources to support its hardest hit areas,” the company said.

Utility company National Grid said it was responding to stormy conditions in upstate New York by increasing staffing, extending overnight shifts, bringing in additional resources from other states and Canada, and pre-staging crews in areas anticipated to be “most severely impacted.”

In Brookfield, Connecticut, a mother and her three kids narrowly escaped injury Wednesday when stormy winds caused a tree to fall on their car, completely crushing it.

In Maine, where heavy snow is forecast, Gov. Janet Mills directed all state offices to be closed Thursday and urged locals to “take proper precautions and to prepare for possible power outages.”

More wind, rain and snow

The storm has already drenched much of the Northeast, with a daily record of 1.75 inches recorded at New York City’s LaGuardia Airport on Wednesday, 1.55 inches in Central Park, 1.49 inches in Philadelphia, and 1.84 inches in Newark, New Jersey.

Even Lady Liberty was hit by rumbling thunderstorms, struck by a bolt of lightning Wednesday evening around 6 p.m. in a stunning moment captured by a photographer from Liberty State Park in New Jersey.

The system has also brought with it dangerously high winds, with a gust of 67 mph reported Wednesday in Nantucket, Massachusetts, 64 mph in Stamford, Connecticut, 59 mph in Manhattan and 54 mph in Boston.

Winds are forecast to stay strong through Thursday, with isolated wind gusts of 50-60 mph possible especially for coastal New England.

Alerts for minor to moderate coastal flooding also remain in effect through Thursday evening for 26 million from the Delmarva Peninsula to the Maine coast.

The system will slowly move off the Northeast coast by Saturday.

Breaking News Reporter

Kathryn Prociv is a senior meteorologist and producer for NBC News. 

Simple Flying

Storms continue to delay flights in the northeast united states.

Severe weather has led to intense delays at airports along the East Coast.

Within the past 24 hours, over 7,000 delays have been reported across the United States today with the majority coming from the thunderstorm-struck Northeast . The weather has proven unpredictable up and down the Atlantic coast this past weekend, affecting many travelers' plans.

In total, just over 1,800 flights have been canceled today, with the greatest number of cancellations occurring on domestic flights in the early hours of the evening.

It is not just American flights that have been affected by today's travel delays. Eastern Canada has also been hit by the weather, greatly affecting operations at airports that have already suffered service interruptions recently due to raging wildfires. Notably, Toronto's Pearson International Airport (YYZ) last year was labeled as the worst airport in North America for delays .

Get all the latest aviation news for North America here

The most affected airports

The airports that have been the hardest hit by today's travel delays are all located in the New York metropolitan area. LaGuardia International Airport (LGA) reported a full 38% of departing flights canceled, with another 33% experiencing delays. This amounts to over 200 cancellations and over 180 flight delays.

The area's other two major airports, Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK) , didn't fare much better. A total of 29% of flights at Newark were canceled, and another 39% experienced significant delays, while 13% of JFK's flights were canceled alongside 35% which were delayed.

Overall, around 1,200 flights departing from New York City airports were affected by today's weather representing nearly 20% of all delays across the nation today.

Other airports in the Northeast also experienced significant service interruptions today, including Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), where 40% of flights were either canceled or delayed; Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), where that number was 33%; Toronto Pearson, where that number sat at 43% and Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport at 33%.

The most affected airlines

With two United hubs (Chicago and Newark) among the airports listed with the highest operational interruptions, it is not surprising to see United Airlines as the airline most affected by today's weather. Overall, 12% of United's flights today were canceled, with another 35% experiencing significant delays. This resulted in a total of 374 cancelations and 1020 flights departing late.

After United, it follows naturally that JetBlue would be another carrier majorly affected by the severe thunderstorms. Considering the carrier's bases of operations in New York and Boston, the airline's operations were greatly disrupted.

Overall, a massive 47% of JetBlue flights arrived late with a full 11% experiencing cancelations. This amounted to a total of 493 delays and 124 cancelations, almost all of which originated at either BOS or JFK.

After JetBlue and United, two other airlines greatly affected by the weather were Delta (which saw heavy delays at both their LaGuardia and Atlanta hubs) and American Airlines (where delays were reported at the airline's hubs up and down the Atlantic seaboard).

With more severe weather in the forecast for the upcoming holiday weekend, passengers should make sure to plan ahead and anticipate further delays as they prepare for Independence Day weekend travel.

Source: FlightAware

Update: The hits keep coming — more than 30,000 flights disrupted since Saturday

Editor's Note

Delays and cancellations spilled into Wednesday as a travel meltdown that began over the weekend dragged into its fifth day.

More than 700 U.S. flights had been canceled and another 1,540 delayed as of 9:50 a.m. EDT, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware . Those delays come on top of nearly 26,000 flight delays and 4,000 cancellations that have piled up since the flight woes first began Saturday. All told, that means more than 30,000 U.S. flights have been either delayed or canceled since Saturday.

The most-affected airports Wednesday were the three big New York City-area airports – LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) – as well as Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD). Those airports have been among the hardest-hit since the flight disruptions began Saturday, bringing headaches to passengers with plans to fly to, from or through those airports.

Related: These credit cards offer built-in travel protections

Though the weather forecasts were showing signs of improvement Wednesday, airlines were grappling with a huge backlog of out-of-place passengers as they tried to get back to normal.

That follows a rough Tuesday, when all three big New York-area airports were under off-and-on ground stops throughout the day.

Delta Air Lines has issued a weather waiver for the New York region through June 28 . Other airlines may similarly be willing to help you rebook if you are worried about your upcoming flights. United Airlines also has a weather waiver in place that it's extended multiple times as thunderstorms wreak havoc on airline schedules for multiple days.

Be sure to see our complete guide to what to do if your flight is delayed or canceled .

The good news is that things have improved slightly since the weekend after a mix of severe weather and an acute equipment outage in the Washington, D.C., area (which has since been fixed) briefly shut down several major airports. At one point Sunday, most major airports in the Northeast were operating with a ground stop, halting departing traffic bound for these specific airports.

As we've seen time and again, even a short pause in operations is enough to bring an airline to a halt these days. The good news is that no single airline is in full-blown meltdown mode , and delays seem far more abundant than cancellations.

Meanwhile, the blame game continues over who is at fault.

United Airlines said the Federal Aviation Administration holds much of the blame. CEO Scott Kirby said thunderstorms wouldn't normally lead to such a domino effect on other flights. He said the FAA cut the number of flights into and out of Newark over the weekend, compounding the problems. "I'm also frustrated that the FAA frankly failed us this weekend," Kirby wrote in a letter to employees obtained by The Points Guy, thanking them for working under the extreme conditions. The Wall Street Journal first reported on that memo .

Kirby says he will talk to the FAA and the Department of Transportation about preventing similar incidents this summer.

On Sunday, FlightAware data showed that the four biggest U.S. airlines delayed between 35% and 40% of their flights but canceled just around 5% of their operations. Airlines largely build their schedules assuming there will be good weather, so any disruption is bound to throw off a perfectly planned schedule.

Since the coronavirus pandemic began, airlines have had trouble recovering from even the smallest disruption in a localized part of their network. This weekend, major metro areas were experiencing bad weather, but no carrier has suffered a large-scale meltdown yet.

While it's certainly possible that operations might get worse this week (and later this summer), carriers have had a few years to prepare for what's poised to be one of the busiest summer travel seasons on record.

Despite warnings of longer-than-usual hold times, airline call centers were faring better than expected Monday, given the irregular operations. American Airlines offered callbacks within 36 to 50 minutes, and Delta quoted a 56-minute hold. Top-tier elite flyers have been able to get in touch with representatives immediately, TPG tests showed.

Related: How to reach airline customer service quickly

Perhaps the biggest issue this summer is that getting rebooked could take days when things go wrong. Flights are operating with record load factors , so there simply aren't many seats available for rebooking.

For instance, Sunday's slew of cancellations in popular routes — like New York to Chicago and New York to South Florida — caused most flights to sell out until Wednesday. Any remaining seats were only available for walk-up fares topping $1,000 in some cases.

Without any spare seats available, some flyers, especially families with multiple travelers, are also finding that it's taking a few days to rebook.

For now, all eyes turn to the upcoming Fourth of July holiday weekend, which could be the busiest of the entire summer travel season.

United Airlines says that nearly 5 million people are expected to fly with the carrier between Friday, June 30, and Saturday, July 9. Bookings are up about 12% from last year and are nearly equal to pre-pandemic levels.

Friday, June 30, will be the busiest day to fly with United — more than 500,000 customers are expected to take to the skies with the airline that day.

Additional reporting by Ben Mutzabaugh and Clint Henderson.

Related reading:

• Key travel tips you need to know — whether you're a beginner or an expert traveler
• 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
• Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
• What you can ask from an airline after a delayed or canceled flight

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Airlines Issue Travel Alerts Ahead of Predicted Winter Storm in the Northeast

Delta, United Airlines, American Airlines, JetBlue, and Spirit Airlines each issued travel alerts.

Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

A winter storm is preparing to pelt the East Coast with snow, ice, and rain this weekend, and airlines are preparing by issuing travel alerts.

The worst of the storm is likely to hit north of New York City with areas into the Hudson Valley and along the Connecticut coast expected to receive up to 10 inches of snow, CNN reported . In Boston, residents may see 4 to 7 inches of snow from late Saturday through Sunday night, and areas like Worcester, Massachusetts, may see as much as 6 to 12 inches.

Several airlines were preparing for the storm by proactively issuing travel advisories for large swaths of the Northeast. Delta Air Lines issued an alert for cities as far south as Roanoke, Virginia, and as far north as Maine for travel on Saturday and Sunday. Similarly, United Airlines , American Airlines , JetBlue , and Spirit Airlines each issued weekend alerts for states including New York, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, and beyond.

Airlines that issue these travel alerts waive change fees and fare differences so passengers can reschedule their flights around the storm.

Flight disruptions were possible over the weekend, but travel on Friday was relatively smooth with about 700 delays within, into, or out of the United States as of Friday morning and about 30 cancellations recorded, according to flight tracker FlightAware .

In New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement the state was monitoring the forecast, but urged people “to be vigilant” as she expected “heavy, wet snowfall across various regions, potentially causing power outages and hazardous travel.”

While winter storms present travel challenges, one group was ready to welcome the snow: New York’s snow-starved ski resorts . Belleayre Mountain in New York’s Catskill Mountains wrote it was “intently” watching the forecast, and Hunter Mountain wrote it was “gearing up” for the storm.

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Summer Airline Woes Are Here: What to Expect Traveling This Weekend.

Delays and cancellations have hit airports in the Northeast, just in time for the July 4 holiday. Airlines and regulators are bickering about who is to blame. Here’s what you need to know.

By Niraj Chokshi and Christine Chung

A dayslong disruption of flights into and out of the Greater New York area is raising concerns about how prepared airlines are for the Fourth of July holiday, a weekend that is forecast to have record numbers of air travelers .

More than four million Americans are expected to fly this holiday period, according to the AAA, the automobile owners’ group, about 11 percent more than last year and roughly 6 percent over the record set in 2019. The busiest day of the period, with 52,564 flights, will be Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

But as travelers prepared for a busy holiday weekend, airlines sought to shift blame to the F.A.A., which runs the country’s air traffic control system, for at least some of the thousands of canceled flights and tens of thousands of flight delays nationwide this week.

Here’s what travelers need to know.

What’s the situation at airports in the Northeast?

Travel at New York’s airports, particularly Newark, has been disrupted since the weekend, with many travelers reporting long flight delays and difficulty rebooking canceled flights. In some cases, passengers reported sleeping in airports and waiting in lines or on the phone for hours to reach customer service agents.

One traveler said on Twitter that a connecting flight, operated by United Airlines and departing from Newark Airport over the weekend, had been delayed about 15 hours after passengers were “unboarded” from the plane after midnight. The traveler's family slept on cots in the terminal.

Thunderstorms along the East Coast built up in “the perfect spot” to cut off the busy New York and Florida markets, Chris Citrola, an F.A.A. spokesman, said in a video posted online .

“What happens is a domino effect of issues,” he said. “We have crews that can’t get to where they need to, we can’t get crews out of where they need to go to and that starts turning into a lot of issues at the airport itself.”

What airlines are most affected? Who is to blame?

Of the approximately 4,500 flights canceled nationwide on Monday and Tuesday, more than 30 percent were operated by United, according to FlightAware, a flight tracking firm. Other airlines that reported substantial cancellations included JetBlue Airways, the Delta Air Lines subsidiary Endeavor Air, and Republic Airways, which flies for Delta, United and American Airlines.

By midafternoon on Wednesday, United, which maintains a hub at Newark Liberty International Airport, had canceled about 15 percent of the nationwide flights it had planned for the day, according to FlightAware. Endeavor had canceled about 12 percent of its flights, while JetBlue had canceled about 9 percent and Republic canceled about 8 percent.

United and JetBlue attributed to the problems to the weather, but also to the F.A.A.

In a statement Wednesday, United said air traffic staffing shortfalls over the weekend had contributed to “a tough operating environment.” This blame echoes what United’s chief executive, Scott Kirby, told employees in a memo earlier this week, saying that “the F.A.A. frankly failed us this weekend.” JetBlue said in a statement that it had struggled to keep up with its flight schedule after air traffic control limited trips for all airlines into and out of New York airports.

What’s really going on with F.A.A. staffing?

The F.A.A. said it had no air traffic control staffing issues along the East Coast on Monday or Tuesday. In a statement, the agency said that it “will always collaborate with anyone seriously willing to join us to solve a problem.”

Yet air traffic control has long been short-staffed, and controllers at many facilities often work six-day weeks to cover for those shortcomings.

In a report published last week , the Transportation Department found that most of the 26 critical air traffic control facilities it identified were understaffed by 15 percent or more, as of March 2022. One of those facilities, New York Terminal Radar Approach Control, which oversees some of the nation’s most complex and challenging air space, employed only 54 percent of its target number of controllers.

The report stated that the problem had been years in the making, something that United’s Mr. Kirby noted on Monday, too.

“It’s not the fault of the current F.A.A. leadership that they are in this seriously understaffed position — it’s been building up for a long time before they were in charge,” he said in his staff memo.

The F.A.A. has had staffing issues at the top as well. Its last permanent administrator stepped down in March 2022 and the agency is currently being led by its second temporary administrator.

What recourse is there for passengers with delayed or canceled flights?

Most U.S. carriers offer compensation to passengers when a flight delay or cancellation is caused by a factor within the airline’s control, such as maintenance problems or short-staffed flight crews. Bad weather and F.A.A. staffing typically do not qualify.

But when the airline is at fault, major carriers will rebook passengers on the same airline at no additional cost, and provide meals or meal vouchers when passengers are left waiting three hours or more.

To navigate possible disruptions, travelers should download and monitor airline apps, consider purchasing travel insurance — which usually covers flight delays — and switch flights to leave in the morning if possible.

In the event of mass delays or cancellations , there will likely be lengthy hold times for customer service agents. Instead, travelers can phone an airline’s overseas hotline, which will usually see a fraction of the callers, said Scott Keyes, the founder of Going.com , a travel-deals website.

Could this holiday weekend repeat last summer?

“It’s going to be a very hectic weekend and one with potential for disruption,” said Mike Arnot, a spokesman for the aviation analytics firm Cirium, noting that punishing heat in the South and smoky skies from Canadian wildfires could also cause delays.

But Mr. Keyes, of Going.com, said he was feeling optimistic thatthis summer would be better than last year, which he called a “debacle.”

He’s not alone in using that term. From June to August last year, more than 22 percent of all flights were delayed and about 2 percent were canceled, Transportation Department data shows .

To help avoid a repeat and ease pressure on air traffic control, the F.A.A. has relaxed rules at some airports to encourage airlines to operate fewer flights with larger planes. It also opened up 169 new routes to reduce congestion. Airlines hired more staff members, chose to use bigger planes and started watching more closely for early signs of problems.

These steps may be working. Of the more than 100,000 flights scheduled for Memorial Day weekend this year, fewer than 1 percent were canceled, according to FlightAware.

Niraj Chokshi covers the business of transportation, with a focus on airlines. More about Niraj Chokshi

Christine Chung is a travel reporter for The Times. She previously covered breaking news. She joined The Times in November 2021. More about Christine Chung

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American Airlines is cutting some international flights because Boeing can't deliver enough 787 Dreamliners — see the full list

• American Airlines is making cuts to flight schedules on some international and Hawaii routes.
• The changes are a result of Boeing 787 Dreamliner delivery delays.
• American Airlines will receive just 3 of the 6 Dreamliners it expected Boeing to deliver this year.

American Airlines is reducing service and adjusting flight schedules on roughly a dozen routes due to a shortage of the Boeing 787 Dreamliners needed to operate them, it said Friday.

The changes primarily affect seasonal routes between the mainland US to destinations in Europe, South America, and Hawaii .

"We're making these adjustments now to ensure we're able to re-accommodate customers on affected flights," an American Airlines spokesperson told Business Insider.

Related stories

Here's the full list of cuts and reductions:

New York (JFK) - Rome (FCO) will go from two daily flights to a single daily flight effective Aug. 5.

New York (JFK) - Athens (ATH) seasonal route will suspend operations earlier than planned on September 3rd.

New York (JFK) - Barcelona (BCN) will suspend service on September 3 and resume operations in the summer of 2025.

New York (JFK) - Buenos Aires (EZE) will be reduced to one daily flight on October 27.

Philadelphia (PHL) - Venice (VCE) seasonal route will suspend operations earlier than planned on October 5.

Chicago (ORD) - Paris (CDG) will suspend service on September 3 and resume operations in the summer of 2025.

Dallas (DFW) - Kona (KOA) seasonal route will not operate this winter.

Dallas (DFW) - Dublin (DUB) will suspend service on October 26 and resume operations in the summer of 2025.

Dallas (DFW) - Rome (FCO) will suspend service on October 26 and resume operations summer of 2025.

Miami (MIA) - Montevideo (MVD) seasonal route resumption is delayed until November 18.

Miami (MIA) - Rio de Janeiro (GIG) will reduce to 10 weekly flights for the winter season except between December 16, 2024 - January 6, 2025.

Phoenix (PHX) - Honolulu (HNL)/Kahului (OGG) flight will operate with a smaller Airbus A321neo instead of the Dreamliner except between November 16 - December 2. American said it will operate a second daily flight using the A321neo starting in mid-December.

Boeing is set to deliver just half of the six 787 Dreamliners that American originally expected during 2024 . Additionally, American will receive only 16 instead of 20 Boeing 737MAX aircraft it had expected this year.

Instead, the airline expects an increased utilization of its regional fleet will be able to offset much of the disruption created by Boeing's delivery delays, CFO Devon May told analysts last week.

Boeing has struggled to deliver the 787 over the past couple of years due to various reasons ranging from parts shortages to quality control issues that halted aircraft deliveries for 15 months . The 737MAX family has been equally troubled of late with continuing production quality issues following the mid-flight failure of a plug-door on a newly delivered Alaska Airlines 737 MAX9 in January .

Boeing's production struggles have forced several of the company's other major customers to take similar action.

Southwest Airlines, the 737's largest customer, said it plans to cut 2,000 jobs by the end of 2024 to compensate for the losses created by the delays. United Airlines has asked a number of its pilots to take unpaid leave in May citing reduced flying due to fewer available aircraft caused by Boeing's production delays.

Beyond the schedule cuts, American announced it will launch daily flights between Philadelphia and Barcelona in January 2025, along with increased service frequency on select routes to Montevideo, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo.

Boeing did not respond to a request for comment.

Watch: Thousands of bags pile up at US airports after flight cancellations

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WEATHER ALERT

10 warnings, a watch and an advisory in effect for 13 regions in the area

Check your flight✈️ delays, possible cancellations reported at bush and hobby airports due to weather.

Holly Galvan Posey , Digital Content Producer

Severe weather conditions in the Houston area have prompted delays and possible cancellations at both Bush Intercontinental Airport and Hobby Airport. Bush Intercontinental Airport took to social media to alert travelers of expected flight disruptions and advised utilizing cellphone lots to mitigate terminal congestion during pickup. Hobby Airport issued a social media update advising travelers to be mindful of potential weather impacts on their travel plans today.

SEE ALSO: Stormy weather brings more rain to areas already underwater in the Houston area this Sunday

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United Airlines sent this statement to KPRC 2:

Our operations team continues to monitor weather developments in Houston and adjust our schedule accordingly. We currently have waivers in place for customers traveling to, from or through IAH and other impacted cities.

Customers may visit united.com to check their flight status and view the latest information. We encourage travelers to download our mobile app and use our Agent on Demand tool, which enables them to bypass the line to speak with agents and get assistance via text, FaceTime or phone call.

• Track flood waters in real-time using Houston’s Flood Warning System

Bush Intercontinental Airport shared on social media:

Due to area storms, expect flight delays and interruptions this Sunday. To avoid terminal congestion, please wait at our cellphone lots until your passenger is ready for pickup.

Due to area storms, expect flight delays and interruptions this Sunday. To avoid terminal congestion, please wait at our cellphone lots until your passenger is ready for pickup. pic.twitter.com/BSntPYEY5K — Bush Intercontinental Airport (@iah) May 5, 2024

Be mindful of potential weather impacts to your travel plans today ⛈️ Please check your flight status before driving to HOU, and as always, safe travels! pic.twitter.com/SQKRLSfUym — Hobby Airport (@HobbyAirport) May 5, 2024

Hobby airport updated their socials with the following message:

Be mindful of potential weather impacts to your travel plans today Please check your flight status before driving to HOU, and as always, safe travels!

Click here to check your flight status .

For more information regarding the storms sweeping across the Houston area:

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• Check the latest weather alerts
• Check real-time traffic conditions
• Check the forecast
• Share your weather pictures and video
• Download the free Frank’s Forecast app

Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.

About the Author

Holly galvan posey.

Holly joined the KPRC 2 digital team in March 2024, leveraging her eight years of expertise in blogging and digital content to share her passion for Houston. Outside of work, she enjoys exploring the city's vibrant scenes, all while balancing her roles as a wife and mother to two toddlers.

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The huge solar storm is keeping power grid and satellite operators on edge

Geoff Brumfiel

Willem Marx

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of solar flares early Saturday afternoon. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says there have been measurable effects and impacts from the geomagnetic storm. Solar Dynamics Observatory hide caption

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of solar flares early Saturday afternoon. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says there have been measurable effects and impacts from the geomagnetic storm.

Planet Earth is getting rocked by the biggest solar storm in decades – and the potential effects have those people in charge of power grids, communications systems and satellites on edge.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says there have been measurable effects and impacts from the geomagnetic storm that has been visible as aurora across vast swathes of the Northern Hemisphere. So far though, NOAA has seen no reports of major damage.

The Picture Show

Photos: see the northern lights from rare, solar storm.

There has been some degradation and loss to communication systems that rely on high-frequency radio waves, NOAA told NPR, as well as some preliminary indications of irregularities in power systems.

"Simply put, the power grid operators have been busy since yesterday working to keep proper, regulated current flowing without disruption," said Shawn Dahl, service coordinator for the Boulder, Co.-based Space Weather Prediction Center at NOAA.

NOAA Issues First Severe Geomagnetic Storm Watch Since 2005

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"Satellite operators are also busy monitoring spacecraft health due to the S1-S2 storm taking place along with the severe-extreme geomagnetic storm that continues even now," Dahl added, saying some GPS systems have struggled to lock locations and offered incorrect positions.

NOAA's GOES-16 satellite captured a flare erupting occurred around 2 p.m. EDT on May 9, 2024.

As NOAA had warned late Friday, the Earth has been experiencing a G5, or "Extreme," geomagnetic storm . It's the first G5 storm to hit the planet since 2003, when a similar event temporarily knocked out power in part of Sweden and damaged electrical transformers in South Africa.

The NOAA center predicted that this current storm could induce auroras visible as far south as Northern California and Alabama.

Extreme (G5) geomagnetic conditions have been observed! pic.twitter.com/qLsC8GbWus — NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (@NWSSWPC) May 10, 2024

Around the world on social media, posters put up photos of bright auroras visible in Russia , Scandinavia , the United Kingdom and continental Europe . Some reported seeing the aurora as far south as Mallorca, Spain .

The source of the solar storm is a cluster of sunspots on the sun's surface that is 17 times the diameter of the Earth. The spots are filled with tangled magnetic fields that can act as slingshots, throwing huge quantities of charged particles towards our planet. These events, known as coronal mass ejections, become more common during the peak of the Sun's 11-year solar cycle.

A powerful solar storm is bringing northern lights to unusual places

Usually, they miss the Earth, but this time, NOAA says several have headed directly toward our planet, and the agency predicted that several waves of flares will continue to slam into the Earth over the next few days.

While the storm has proven to be large, predicting the effects from such incidents can be difficult, Dahl said.

Shocking problems

The most disruptive solar storm ever recorded came in 1859. Known as the "Carrington Event," it generated shimmering auroras that were visible as far south as Mexico and Hawaii. It also fried telegraph systems throughout Europe and North America.

Stronger activity on the sun could bring more displays of the northern lights in 2024

While this geomagnetic storm will not be as strong, the world has grown more reliant on electronics and electrical systems. Depending on the orientation of the storm's magnetic field, it could induce unexpected electrical currents in long-distance power lines — those currents could cause safety systems to flip, triggering temporary power outages in some areas.

my cat just experienced the aurora borealis, one of the world's most radiant natural phenomena... and she doesn't care pic.twitter.com/Ee74FpWHFm — PJ (@kickthepj) May 10, 2024

The storm is also likely to disrupt the ionosphere, a section of Earth's atmosphere filled with charged particles. Some long-distance radio transmissions use the ionosphere to "bounce" signals around the globe, and those signals will likely be disrupted. The particles may also refract and otherwise scramble signals from the global positioning system, according to Rob Steenburgh, a space scientist with NOAA. Those effects can linger for a few days after the storm.

Like Dahl, Steenburgh said it's unclear just how bad the disruptions will be. While we are more dependent than ever on GPS, there are also more satellites in orbit. Moreover, the anomalies from the storm are constantly shifting through the ionosphere like ripples in a pool. "Outages, with any luck, should not be prolonged," Steenburgh said.

What Causes The Northern Lights? Scientists Finally Know For Sure

The radiation from the storm could have other undesirable effects. At high altitudes, it could damage satellites, while at low altitudes, it's likely to increase atmospheric drag, causing some satellites to sink toward the Earth.

The changes to orbits wreak havoc, warns Tuija Pulkkinen, chair of the department of climate and space sciences at the University of Michigan. Since the last solar maximum, companies such as SpaceX have launched thousands of satellites into low Earth orbit. Those satellites will now see their orbits unexpectedly changed.

"There's a lot of companies that haven't seen these kind of space weather effects before," she says.

The International Space Station lies within Earth's magnetosphere, so its astronauts should be mostly protected, Steenburgh says.

In a statement, NASA said that astronauts would not take additional measures to protect themselves. "NASA completed a thorough analysis of recent space weather activity and determined it posed no risk to the crew aboard the International Space Station and no additional precautionary measures are needed," the agency said late Friday.

People visit St Mary's lighthouse in Whitley Bay to see the aurora borealis on Friday in Whitley Bay, England. Ian Forsyth/Getty Images hide caption

People visit St Mary's lighthouse in Whitley Bay to see the aurora borealis on Friday in Whitley Bay, England.

While this storm will undoubtedly keep satellite operators and utilities busy over the next few days, individuals don't really need to do much to get ready.

"As far as what the general public should be doing, hopefully they're not having to do anything," Dahl said. "Weather permitting, they may be visible again tonight." He advised that the largest problem could be a brief blackout, so keeping some flashlights and a radio handy might prove helpful.

I took these photos near Ranfurly in Central Otago, New Zealand. Anyone can use them please spread far and wide. :-) https://t.co/NUWpLiqY2S — Dr Andrew Dickson reform/ACC (@AndrewDickson13) May 10, 2024

And don't forget to go outside and look up, adds Steenburgh. This event's aurora is visible much further south than usual.

A faint aurora can be detected by a modern cell phone camera, he adds, so even if you can't see it with your eyes, try taking a photo of the sky.

The aurora "is really the gift from space weather," he says.

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Transport North East

Transport North East is now part of the North East Combined Authority. Find out how to access information about their previous work, governance documents, and ongoing commitments under the Transport portfolio. 

Transport North East is now part of the North East Combined Authority

Transport North East worked hard to deliver game-changing transport schemes and initiatives.

Their goal was to greatly improve the lives of everyone living or working in our region. The team provided strategy, planning and delivery services on behalf of the North East Joint Transport Committee and worked tirelessly to implement their vision of moving to a green, healthy, dynamic and thriving North East.

On 7 May 2024, Transport North East ceased to exist and its role and responsibilities were merged into the new North East Combined Authority.

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Transport portfolio.

Information regarding strategies, policies, projects, and initiatives that were started by Transport North East and which are still live, can be found on the Transport portfolio section of this website.

Document archive

Meeting agendas and minutes, decision notices, forward plans and other relevant governance documents published by Transport North East are now available in the document archive.

Projects and investments

Some projects started under Transport North East have transferred to the new North East Combined Authority. Details can be found in our projects collection.

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Can’t find what you’re looking for? Get in touch and we’ll point you in the right direction. 

Northeast Ohio road construction: What new delays might drivers expect?

C LEVELAND, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Transportation has released its lists of upcoming detours for Cuyahoga County and other areas of Greater Cleveland.

Cuyahoga County

Interstate 480 under I-77  will have various off-peak lane restrictions and shoulder closures beginning Monday and continuing through September 2024 because of bridge repairs.

Ohio 17 (Granger Road) between Tuxedo Avenue and Transportation Boulevard will be reduced to one lane in each direction and have various short-duration side closures beginning May 20 and continuing through September because of resurfacing.

Buhrer Avenue pedestrian bridge over I-71 will be closed to all pedestrian traffic beginning May 21 and continuing through September because of bridge repairs. The pedestrian detour will use Clark Avenue.

I-71 under the Buhrer Avenue pedestrian bridge  will have various off-peak lane closures for bridge repairs beginning May 21 and continuing through September.

I-480 westbound over Northfield Road  will have various lane restrictions beginning today (May 10) and continuing through late May.

I-480 westbound to Ohio 252 (Great Northern Boulevard) ramp  will be closed May 28 through late June for bridge repairs. The detour is Clague Road to Brookpark Road.

Westway Drive over I-90  will be closed beginning Wednesday and continuing through mid-June for bridge repairs. The detour will utilize Wager Road.

I-480 under I-77  will have various off-peak lane restrictions and shoulder closures beginning on Monday and continuing through September for bridge repairs.

U.S. 422 (Chagrin Boulevard) at Stratton Road  will have a westbound right-lane closure beginning Monday and continuing through mid-June.

U.S. 422 westbound to I-271 northbound ramp  will be closed from 9 p.m. tonight to 5 a.m. Monday for bridge repairs. The detour is Miles Road to I-480 to I-271.

Medina County

Ohio 162 between Burdett Road and Legacy Lane will close May 20 for a culvert replacement. The detour route is Ohio 162 east to Ohio 94 north to Ohio 18 east to I-77 south to Ohio 21 south to Ohio 162, and reverse. Estimated completion is May 24.

Summit County

At 7 p.m. May 17, Ohio 93/Manchester Road at South Street will close through 7 a.m. May 18 for a bridge deck pour. The northbound detour is Russell Avenue to East Avenue to Clearview Road to Ohio 93/Manchester Road. The southbound detour is Clearview Road to East Avenue to Russell Avenue.

Beginning on the evening of May 20, I-77 southbound between I-277/U.S. 224 and Killian Road will have nightly lane restrictions through early June for resurfacing. These restrictions will occur between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. The project should be completed by early July.

I-271 under Southern Road has various lane restrictions for bridge repairs.

Beginning Monday, Southern Road over I-271 will be closed through mid-August. The detour is Ohio 303 to Medina Line Road to Everett Road.  Estimated completion is late August.

Beginning May 20, Wooster Road eastbound will be closed through late summer 2025. The detour 31st Street to Norton Avenue to Wooster Road. Estimated completion is September 2025.

Trumbull County

Beginning Monday, Ohio 5 eastbound just west of Park Avenue will be reduced to one lane through mid-June. Estimated completion is early July.

Beginning 5 a.m. May 19, Ohio 46 under Ohio 82 will be closed until 8 a.m. May 23 for bridge removal. The northbound detour is Ohio 82 eastbound to Ohio 193 to Ohio 82 westbound. The southbound detour is Ohio 82 westbound to Ohio 5 to Ohio 82 eastbound to Ohio 46.

©2024 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit cleveland.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Severe storms race through Northeast Florida, leaving power outages, damage in their wake

Wet through lunch with a dry evening.

Mark Collins , Meteorologist

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It was Florida’s turn for strong and severe storms on Friday after Georgia got the bulk of Thursday’s tornadic activity .

As storms came through the area Friday morning, there were reports of wind gusts up to 70 mph which knocked down power lines, flipped a tractor-trailer on the Dames Point Bridge and downed trees .

CLICK HERE: For live radar

Storms targeted the I-75 area of north Florida and southern Georgia with severe weather early this morning. By 9 a.m. the storms were over Jacksonville.

Tornado likelihood was lower on Friday because the storms did not arrive in the record 96-degree heat that we had Thursday in Jacksonville.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch for Clay, Duval, Flagler, Marion, Nassau, Putnam and St. Johns counties in Florida, and Camden and Glynn counties in Georgia was set to end at 12 p.m. However, the watch was canceled shortly after 10 a.m.

By noon severe weather risk was over but scattered showers will remain through the afternoon until we completely dry out early this evening. Some pockets of rain will still be possible when school buses return this afternoon.

Copyright 2024 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved.

About the Author

Mark collins.

After covering the weather from every corner of Florida and doing marine research in the Gulf, Mark Collins settled in Jacksonville to forecast weather for The First Coast.

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Harris Health System Initiates Groundbreaking $1.6 Billion Hospital Project in Northeast Houston

By Jo-Carolyn Goode

Click here for updates on this story

    May 10, 2024 ( Houston Style Magazine ) — A significant stride was taken in enhancing healthcare infrastructure in Northeast Houston as the Harris Health System, in collaboration with UTHealth Houston and local governmental authorities, celebrated the groundbreaking of a new $1.6 billion hospital facility. This event marks the commencement of a visionary $2.9 billion initiative aimed at expanding and modernizing the county’s medical services.

Scheduled to open in late 2028 on the existing Harris Health Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital Campus, the new 12-story structure is poised to replace the outdated LBJ Hospital as the next Level I trauma center in Harris County. This development is a key component of Harris Health’s extensive strategic facilities plan which includes upgrading the current LBJ facility, enhancing the capacity of the Ben Taub Hospital, and establishing three additional health centers across Northwest, Southwest, and Eastern Harris County.

Harris Health System Initiates Groundbreaking $1.6 Billion Hospital Project in Northeast Houston Jo-Carolyn Goode | 5/10/2024, 10:45 a.m. A significant stride was taken in enhancing healthcare infrastructure in Northeast Houston as the Harris Health System, in collaboration with … A significant stride was taken in enhancing healthcare infrastructure in Northeast Houston as the Harris Health System, in collaboration with UTHealth Houston and local governmental authorities, celebrated the groundbreaking of a new $1.6 billion hospital facility. This event marks the commencement of a visionary $2.9 billion initiative aimed at expanding and modernizing the county’s medical services.

Dr. Esmaeil Porsa, President and CEO of Harris Health System, emphasized the critical nature of this project, stating, “With the original LBJ and Ben Taub hospitals over three decades old and our community’s rapid growth, there is an urgent need for upgraded facilities. The new Level I trauma center, located outside the Texas Medical Center, will significantly bolster our capability to meet regional healthcare demands alongside our primary care expansion.”

The groundbreaking event featured an array of notable attendees including Harris Health and UTHealth Houston executives, Harris Health Strategic Fund philanthropists, and members of the Harris County Hospital District Foundation. Held under an open-air tent and enlivened by music from Kashmere High School’s Stage Band, Thunder Soul, the ceremony was a festive yet profound declaration of progress.

Dr. Andrea Caracostis, Board Chair of the Harris Health System, reflected on the project’s importance: “This expansion is a monumental step forward in providing cutting-edge, comprehensive healthcare services to all residents of Harris County. This has been long overdue and is vital for enhancing the capacity and capabilities of our healthcare infrastructure.”

The new hospital will encompass approximately 1.3 million square feet, offering 390 private rooms with the flexibility to expand an additional 60 rooms as needed. It will also feature a rooftop helipad, 15 dedicated operating rooms, and a state-of-the-art hybrid operating room, ensuring readiness for both routine and complex emergency surgeries.

Dr. Porsa added, “The northeast side has historically been underserved in terms of healthcare facilities. By establishing this hospital here, we are laying down a foundation that will support the community for generations to come.”

The project received overwhelming support from Harris County voters, with over 72% approval in a November 2023 bond election, underlining community backing for the expansion.

Additionally, the hospital will serve as an extended clinical training site for UTHealth Houston’s McGovern Medical School residents and faculty. Dr. Porsa, who trained at this site over 30 years ago, highlighted the long-term benefits of this collaboration, noting it as crucial for cultivating future healthcare professionals.

The establishment of this hospital not only promises enhanced healthcare services but also signifies a substantial investment in the future well-being and economic growth of Northeast Houston, ensuring a healthier, more resilient community.

For more info, visit harrishealth.org

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

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