Storms cause 7,000 Northeast flight delays

More than 7,000 flight delays hit the Northeast as severe weather swept across the region on Thursday, May 21, according to TODAY. NBC News reported the same storm system was expected to push heavy rain, flash flooding and travel delays from Texas to the Northeast over the Memorial Day weekend. The disruption arrived as holiday travel was ramping up nationwide and as airports in the New York area were already managing separate operational strain. The National Weather Service and airport officials urged travelers to expect delays and allow extra time. ### Where did the 7,000-delay figure come from? TODAY said on May 21 that torrential rain, severe flooding and massive hail in the Northeast caused more than 7,000 flight delays. The network’s report described the weather as affecting millions as Memorial Day weekend travel began to build. NBC News, in a separate May 21 report, said storms had already delayed more than 1,000 flights within, into or out of the United States by Thursday morning and caused nearly 290 cancellations, citing FlightAware. (today.com) The two figures measure disruption at different scopes and times, with NBC describing national delays early Thursday and TODAY describing a larger Northeast tally as the day’s weather unfolded. ### Which places were in the storm corridor? NBC News said the storm threat stretched from Texas to the Northeast, with the mid-Atlantic, Southeast and Plains also in line for rain and thunderstorms. By Friday and Saturday, NBC said showers and storms were expected to spread into the Ohio Valley, the Northeast, the mid-Atlantic and the Southeast. The National Weather Service said heavy-rain and severe-weather risks were active in multiple areas on Friday. (nbcnews.com) A national outlook posted Friday warned of severe thunderstorms in parts of eastern Colorado and several days of heavy rainfall over the western Gulf Coast. In Texas, the National Weather Service office for Houston/Galveston said a flood watch was in effect from Thursday morning through Monday morning for parts of southeast Texas, including Galveston County and Brazoria County. (nbcnews.com) The Fort Worth/Dallas office said scattered to widespread showers and storms would continue through the evening, with localized heavy rain and flash-flooding threats. ### Why were airports already vulnerable before the holiday rush? (weather.gov) LaGuardia Airport told travelers to plan ahead after one of its runways was closed Wednesday because of a sinkhole, NBC News reported. NBC said the runway was expected to reopen before Friday’s flight operations. The New York-area disruption mattered because storms were moving into one of the country’s busiest air corridors just before a major holiday weekend. (weather.gov) When weather slows traffic in the Northeast, delays can spread quickly through airline networks because aircraft and crews are scheduled across multiple cities in tight rotations, according to standard airline operations reflected in FlightAware’s nationwide delay tracking. (nbcnews.com) ### What were officials telling travelers to do? LaGuardia said travelers should “budget extra travel time” to reach the airport, park, check in and clear security, according to NBC News. That advice came as the airport dealt with both weather risk and runway constraints. The National Weather Service also warned residents and travelers not to drive through flooded roads. (flightaware.com) The Fort Worth/Dallas office repeated the agency’s “Turn Around, Don’t Drown!” message as rain continued through the holiday period. ### What should travelers watch next? Friday and Saturday forecasts were the next immediate pressure point, with NBC News saying storms were expected to spread farther into the Ohio Valley, Northeast, mid-Atlantic and Southeast. (nbcnews.com) Travelers can track updated airport delays through FlightAware and active warnings through National Weather Service alerts as Memorial Day weekend traffic continues. (weather.gov)