A major winter storm is impacting travel from Texas to the Northeast, causing widespread snowfall and ice that has forced thousands of flight delays and cancellations over the holiday weekend.
As of Monday morning, airports in eastern Texas, including Dallas/Fort Worth International and Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental, continue to be hit hard by Winter Storm Uri, canceling hundreds of flights due to the inclement weather conditions. IAH was even forced to close its airfield.
Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines canceled all flights to and from St. Louis on Sunday and scrapped more flights on Monday.
“We did cancel the remaining flights at STL today to avoid passengers and airplanes being stranded as we track the winter storm that’s impacting a number of our airports,” the airline said in a statement.
According to flight-tracking website FlightAware.com, airports in Chicago, Denver and Nashville are also being heavily impacted by the wintry weather Monday, reporting dozens of flight cancellations. As of 9:30 a.m. ET Monday, the website is reporting more than 2,800 flight cancellations nationwide.
“Snow, possibly heavy at times, may fall Monday from eastern Texas into parts of northern Louisiana, Arkansas, the mid-Mississippi and Ohio valleys and southern Great Lakes. Some snowfall or ice will expand as far east as the Northeast,” according to Weather.com. “Freezing rain and sleet will occur just to the east of the area of snow from southern and central Louisiana to the Tennessee Valley and the central Appalachians. The ice will make travel dangerous and could also damage trees and knock out power in some areas.”
The storm is expected to finish up in the Northeast on Tuesday, bringing snow and ice to parts of upstate New York and into western and northern New England but only rain to the busy I-95 corridor.
Major airlines, including American, Delta, United, Southwest, Frontier and JetBlue have issued waivers so passengers in affected areas can avoid traveling and becoming stranded without penalty.
As always, travelers impacted by the latest winter storm are encouraged to check their flight status with their airline prior to arriving at the airport and are advised to leave themselves extra time to reach the airport as roadways may be hazardous.
Source: Travel Pulse
