Severe Thunderstorm Disrupts Travel in Southeast
On Friday evening, a severe thunderstorm created significant travel disruptions across the southeastern United States, leading to flash floods and delays in Atlanta, which is home to the nation’s busiest airport.
Delta Air Lines, based in Atlanta, reported that the storm struck just before 8 p.m., bringing heavy rain and strong winds that affected about 90 flights, rerouting them to other airports in the region.
In response to the storm, Delta utilized 100 aircraft at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to conduct damage inspections.
“Our team is working as swiftly and safely as possible to recover flights impacted by thunderstorms, lightning, hail, and winds at our Atlanta hubs,” the airline stated. “We appreciate your patience during this time.”
Delta technicians worked through the night to complete necessary inspections on the planes that had been exposed to the weather.
“Almost everything is back in service on Saturday,” they continued.
The storm also caused ongoing effects on flight schedules throughout Saturday. “The weather has led to over 380 cancellations today,” a Delta spokesperson noted, and there may be further delays as crews work to reset the aircraft and ensure everything is operational.
According to data from the Federal Aviation Administration, Hartsfield-Jackson implemented a ground stop to prevent any takeoffs or landings from 7:11 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. that evening.
Alongside the weather issues, the FAA evacuated most personnel from the air traffic control tower at the Atlanta airport due to strong winds.
In a statement, the FAA explained, “After the evacuation, air traffic controllers returned to the control tower. A few remained to manage incoming flights.”
Tim Turner, a spokesman for Hartsfield-Jackson, confirmed that only two controllers were present in the tower during the ground stop to maintain communication.
The heavy rains also resulted in flash floods in the area, with Hartsfield-Jackson measuring nearly an inch of rain in just an hour.
This flooding led to the closure of the northbound lane of Interstate 75 just east of the airport, as reported by the National Weather Service.
