Winter Storm Ulmer Causing Thousands of Flight Cancellations, Delays

Update: March 15, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. ET

As Winter Storm Ulmer moves into the Northeast, bringing heavy rain and winds, the airline industry is still digging out from the massive snow storms in the Plains and Midwest.

According to FlightAware.com, over 400 flights within, into or out of the United States were canceled Friday morning and another 615-plus flights were delayed.

A pattern change is taking shape and will bring a stretch of drier conditions to most of the Lower 48: https://t.co/B8Bi5AnkVc pic.twitter.com/QgJc4DnQuo

— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) March 15, 2019

Update: March 14, 2019 at 7:10 a.m. ET

The heavy snow, blizzard winds and limited visibility led to airport cancellations and hundreds of cars being stranded on highways in the Rockies and Plains Wednesday into Thursday morning.

According to FlightAware.com, over 1,070 flights within, into or out of the United States were canceled Thursday morning and another 400-plus flights were delayed.

#WinterStormUlmer continues to produce #blizzard conditions in parts of the Plains this evening after undergoing #bombogenesis. Here's the latest forecast: https://t.co/cBATak7Csu pic.twitter.com/J7GQBLX6pl

— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) March 14, 2019

Denver International Airport was impacted the most, shutting down operations while dealing with the storm. The official Twitter account of the airport said four of six runways were reopened Thursday morning:

More good news! 4 of our 6 runways are now open! Crews will work throughout the night clearing snow and making sure the airfield is ready for takeoff tomorrow. Check with your airline to confirm flight status and thank you for your patience today

— Denver Int'l Airport (@DENAirport) March 14, 2019

As travelers see glimpses of spring weather, the Rockies, Plains and Midwest regions of the United States are being hit by Winter Storm Ulmer, causing thousands of flights to be canceled and delayed.

According to Weather.com, the storm system is expected to bring damaging winds, heavy snow and blizzard conditions through Thursday, with Denver likely the city most impacted by Ulmer as 12 inches of snow is forecasted in some areas.

#Blizzard warnings are in effect for parts of seven states in the Plains as #WinterStormUlmer intensifies today: https://t.co/cBATak7Csu pic.twitter.com/GReQ2DpctZ

— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) March 13, 2019

As the storm moves east, forecasters believe the snow will turn to rain and travel will not be impacted as severely. According to FlightAware.com as of 9:45 a.m. ET, over 1,200 flights within, into or out of the United States were canceled Wednesday morning and another 530-plus flights were delayed.

Apparently the #BombCyclone has a name and it is #Ulmer...

Rain and increasing wind in Denver at this point. pic.twitter.com/a9xQsof2tO

— Peter A. Grant (@GrantOnGold) March 13, 2019

Denver International Airport was the facility most impacted by the storm, with over 1,000 flights to and from the airport canceled Wednesday. Dallas/Fort Worth International was also dealing with over 100 cancellations.

A host of impacts and potential problems in the air, on the road and rivers too coming along with #WinterStormUlmer.

I'm in studio today alongside Alexandra Steele.

C ya on @weatherchannel TV at 9am ET. pic.twitter.com/DjxaUTnRzj

— Tevin Wooten (@TevinWooten) March 13, 2019

As a result of the delays and cancellations, airlines have started issuing travel advisories for customers scheduled to fly to or from impacted airports. Carriers such as American, Delta, Southwest and United have all started waiving change fees through March 14.

All passengers in impacted regions are being asked to call their airlines before heading to the airport to ensure their flights aren’t delayed or canceled.