This comes as a significant winter storm is approaching that could bring bad weather to airports across much of the country, including some of the largest airline hubs.
The storm, which the Weather Channel has dubbed a potential “bomb cyclone,” was already delivering bad weather to the Pacific Northwest on Tuesday. Busy airports such as Seattle/Tacoma International (SEA) and Portland International (PDX) in Oregon experienced above-average flight cancelations and delays.
Bomb Cyclone Latest Travel Updates:
- Live Updates on theguardian.com: Heavy snow and frigid winds leave millions without power across the US
December 23: Airlines cancel 4,400 U.S. flights Friday as winter storm snarls travel
- 44% of departing flights were canceled at Seattle Airport as of 11 a.m. PST
- 40% of departing flights were canceled at Detroit Airport
- 60% of departing flights were canceled at Portland Airport
- 34% at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, 27% at Boston Airport, and 21% at Chicago O’Hare Airport
December 23: BREAKING: Severe bomb cyclone winter storm sweeps across America
December 23: Deadly winter storm knocks out power for 1.5m in US and Canada
December 23: Thousands of Flights Delayed, Canceled as Storms Disrupt Holiday Travel — What to Know
December 21: Bomb cyclone’ expected to cause travel nightmare across DC region ahead of Christmas weekend
Snowfall is expected across much of the Great Plains and Midwest between Wednesday and Thursday, with snowstorms in some areas expected to dump more than a foot of snow. Snow, ice and rain are also anticipated to affect the East Coast. High winds and heavy rain may cause delays at airports in the Northeast.
Travel will be hampered by unusually cold weather following the storm, with lows in the teens as far south as Houston and Atlanta. Later in the week, temperatures are forecast to be in the low 20s even in New Orleans and Jacksonville, Florida. This may cause slippery road conditions or delays in deicing at airports, which are not normally affected by really cold weather.
For stranded tourists, there will likely be few options for finding new travel routes to get home before the holidays, especially since the storm’s greatest impact will reach the Midwest and East Coast just two days before Christmas next Sunday.
However, there may be other options besides simply praying for the best, as the major American airlines have introduced flexible rebooking waivers to enable travelers to change their travel arrangements in order to avoid the storm.
When and where will travelers be affected?
In the Pacific Northwest, where the storm has already come ashore, some cancellations and delays are being reported. According to the flight tracking service FlightAware, about one in every five flights at Seattle were canceled or delayed on Tuesday.
The storm was expected to move east by Wednesday evening, bringing snow to the Great Plains and upper Midwest before moving up to the Great Lakes on Thursday and continuing through Friday.
Heavy rains and winds were forecast for much of the East Coast Thursday and Friday, including delay-prone Northeast airports in New York and Philadelphia. In the Deep South, temperatures are expected to hover around freezing Thursday and Friday.
While aircraft delays and cancellations are possible outcomes of this weather system, the effects are expected to extend beyond air travel, as vehicles in the impacted areas should also prepare for challenging conditions.