FAA lifts ground stop at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport after severe storms disrupt holiday travel
A line of severe thunderstorms prompted the FAA to issue a ground stop Tuesday morning at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, halting all flights headed into the world's busiest airport and triggering rapidly growing delays across the Southeast. The ground stop was lifted just after 9 a.m.
The FAA initially grounded flights bound for Atlanta from 7:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. EST as storms moved directly over the metro area. According to the agency, the probability that the ground stop would be extended was rated "medium," or between 30% and 60%.
The stoppage affected flights leaving several major air-route control centers, including Washington Center in Virginia, Houston Center, Jacksonville Center, Miami Center, Memphis Center, and Indianapolis Center. Updated FAA data showed delays jumping from 1,593 minutes to more than 5,200 minutes, with the longest delays increasing from just over an hour to more than two hours.
Severe weather threat across metro Atlanta
At the same time, the National Weather Service issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Atlanta, Sandy Springs, and Roswell through 8:45 a.m., warning of damaging wind gusts, hail, and even an isolated tornado.
CBS News Atlanta meteorologist Troy Bridges said storms rolled through the city in multiple rounds Tuesday morning. A squall line moving through around 8 a.m. brought strong, damaging winds up to 60 mph before weakening as it pushed east. Behind it, steady rain continued and is expected to keep roads wet throughout the day.
Bridges said that as temperatures rise this afternoon, the atmosphere could support additional strong storms — including "one or two rotating cells." He added that the tornado risk remains very low, but not zero. The main threat into the afternoon will be strong wind gusts, similar to what the area experienced earlier in the morning.
A few lingering storms may stick around into the night.
Improving weather conditions ahead of holiday travel
Bridges said conditions will improve on Wednesday as the system moves out. Highs will fall into the 60s on Wednesday, with Thanksgiving Day even cooler, only reaching the mid-50s under mostly sunny skies.
Travelers heading out on Wednesday may see a few scattered showers, he said, but no severe storms are expected.
Flights into and out of Atlanta are still expected to face delays through the morning and early afternoon, with more strong storms possible before conditions settle down later in the day.