Storms Across Country Delaying Thanksgiving Flights Out Of ATL

ATLANTA, GA — Thanksgiving travelers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport are among millions hung up at airports across the country Wednesday due to flight cancellations and delays as storm systems move across the country.

As of Wednesday morning, there are three major delays travelers may face:

• Due to weather/wind, departure traffic destined to Newark International Airport, Newark, NJ (EWR) is currently experiencing delays averaging 50 minutes.
• Due to weather/snow-ice, departure traffic destined to Minneapolis-St Paul International/Wold-Chamberlain Airport, Minneapolis, is currently experiencing delays averaging 1 hour and 19 minutes.
• Due to weather/low ceilings, departure traffic destined to San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco, CA (SFO) is currently experiencing delays averaging 39 minutes.

The status information provided on this site indicates general airport conditions; it is not flight-specific. Check with your airline to determine if your flight is affected.

Related:

• ATL Thanksgiving Travel, Traffic 2019: Best, Worst Times To Drive
• Georgia DOT's Suspending Lane Closures Thanksgiving Weekend
• Georgia Weather Forecast: 'Perfect For Thanksgiving'

The National Weather Service issued a hazardous weather outlook for portions of north and central Georgia on Wednesday.

There is a slight chance of thunderstorms Wednesday across western portions of Georgia as a cold front moves through the area. Gusty winds will be the primary hazard with any thunderstorms that occur, the National Weather Service said.

By Thanksgiving Day, no hazardous weather is expected.

The busiest travel day of the year is upon Georgians, with millions of Americans expected to take to the roads, bus ways, rail stations and airports over the Thanksgiving holiday. AAA projects 55.3 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more away from home this Thanksgiving.

"This will be the second-highest Thanksgiving travel volume since AAA began tracking in 2000, trailing only the record set in 2005," AAA said. "Overall, an additional 1.6 million people will travel compared with last year, a 2.9 percent increase."

The Flightaware.com Misery Map shows what to expect across the country, with it showing 15 cancellations at Hartsfield-Jackson as of Wednesday morning.

The storms will potentially affect travel through the weekend, setting up to the potential for travel headaches for Americans on their way home. A record 4.5 million of Americans planned to fly to their Thanksgiving destinations, according to the AAA travel group.

The National Weather Service called the second storm "historic" and "unprecedented" for southwest Oregon and northwest California, where it will bring areas of damaging winds, heavy mountain snow and heavy rain to the West Coast through Thanksgiving Day.

For Georgians staying home for the holiday weekend, they'll enjoy a picture-perfect Thanksgiving. National Weather Service forecasters say Thursday will be sunny with a high around 60, followed by a low around 44 Thursday night.