Winter storm sweeps through, over 3,000 flights canceled in the U.S.
Winter storm sweeps through, over 3,000 flights canceled in the U.S.
More than 3,000 flights were canceled, and thousands more were delayed due to a winter storm hitting the southern United States.
Delta Airlines stated that "worse-than-expected winter weather" caused five runways at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to close for over two hours.
"Delta Airlines had to cancel about 1,100 flights across its network," the airline said as they worked to restore flight operations.
Delta Airlines flights were also grounded in Atlanta due to engine issues. Over 200 passengers and crew were evacuated via emergency slides, according to US media reports.
According to FlightAware, Dallas Fort Worth (Texas) and Charlotte Douglas (North Carolina) airports were also affected by bad weather, with more than 1,200 flights canceled. The website recorded more than 3,000 canceled flights on November 10 across multiple airports.
In addition, some schools in northern Texas were forced to close due to the storm's impact. Hundreds of flights in the Dallas area were also canceled. Road conditions in the area became hazardous.
In Little Rock, Arkansas, schools had to close for two days to prepare for the storm. Kansas City also closed many schools due to a blast of freezing temperatures.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp announced that some state offices would close due to the winter storm's arrival. In Atlanta, Mayor Andre Dickens stated that all city government offices would close, and staff would work remotely.
After the storm, temperatures in the US dropped significantly over several days. Some cities, such as Kansas City, were expected to experience temperatures below -17°C, with wind chills. Temperatures could also drop by several degrees compared to seasonal norms along the US Gulf Coast.
A White House spokesperson stated that President Joe Biden is closely monitoring the severe weather situation and is ready to assist affected states.
