Stormy Weather Impacting Thousands of Flights During Memorial Day Weekend

Image: Airplane waiting in the rain. (photo via Chalabala/iStock/Getty Images Plus) (Chalabala / iStock / Getty Images Plus)
Image: Airplane waiting in the rain. (photo via Chalabala/iStock/Getty Images Plus) (Chalabala / iStock / Getty Images Plus)
Donald Wood
by Donald Wood
Last updated: 2:34 PM ET, Thu May 23, 2019

Update: May 24, 2019 at 7:45 a.m. ET

The storm system that dumped heavy rain and thunderstorms on the Northeast Thursday has moved farther north, but a new storm system is moving across the Plains and Midwest.

According to FlightAware.com, over 650 flights within, into or out of the U.S. were canceled Thursday and another 6,900-plus were delayed, with Newark Liberty International, Philadelphia International and LaGuardia most impacted.

Friday isn't bringing many flight delays and cancellations to the U.S., with only 118 cancellations and just over 400 delays as of Friday morning.

Travelers flying throughout Memorial Day weekend are being asked to call their airline before heading to the airport to ensure their flight will be departing on time as storms are expected during the holiday travel period.


As travelers prepare for the unofficial start of the summer, airlines across the United States are preparing for storms throughout Memorial Day Weekend that could impact thousands of flights.

According to Weather.com, the constant string of severe thunderstorms and flooding rain continued Thursday and will run through at least early next week in the Plains and Midwest, as well as the Northeast starting Thursday and throughout the holiday weekend.

Over 450 flights within, into or out of the U.S. were canceled Thursday and another 2,900-plus have been delayed, according to FlightAware.com. Airports most impacted by Thursday's storms include Newark Liberty International, Philadelphia International, LaGuardia and more in the Northeast.

While airlines have not started issuing travel advisories or waiving change fees, the severe thunderstorms are expected to reach from west Texas to the upper Midwest Friday. Then on Saturday, scattered severe thunderstorms will flare up in the southern and central Plains, as well as parts of the Ohio Valley, Lower Great Lakes and Northeast.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center also shared the potential for severe weather threats Sunday, Monday and Tuesday in the storm- and flood-beleaguered portions of the Plains and Midwest.

Stay tuned to TravelPulse for further updates as the storm continues to impact travel.


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