Memorial Day weekend travel in the US has been hit by severe weather, with more than 17,000 flights cancelled or delayed in the past two days, according to NBC News.
The disruption comes as nearly 40 million Americans are expected to travel by road over the unofficial start of summer, while storms are forecast to bring heavy rain to more than 20 states during the holiday weekend.
The deluge of rain and wind has created a soggy and turbulent start to the holiday period, affecting both air and road travel across a wide stretch of the country. Forecasters say the weather is expected to continue through the weekend, adding to delays for passengers and drivers.
NBC News reported that the severe conditions were causing problems for airlines and travellers as one of the busiest US holiday weekends began. The network said its correspondent Emilie Ikeda reported on the travel disruption, while Dylan Dreyer tracked the latest forecast on today.
Airline passengers have faced a sharp rise in cancellations and delays as storms moved across multiple regions. The figures underline how quickly weather can affect holiday travel plans, especially during peak departure periods when airports and roads are already under pressure.
Driving conditions have also been affected, with heavy rain expected to hit more than 20 states. That raises the risk of slower journeys, poor visibility and congestion as millions of people make trips for the long weekend.
The National Weather Service and travel agencies often warn holidaymakers to allow extra time during major US travel periods, but the scale of this weekend’s disruption has made it particularly difficult for those heading to family gatherings and short breaks. With more storm systems in the forecast, travel snags could continue into the end of the holiday.
Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer in the US and usually brings one of the year’s busiest travel surges. This year, weather has become the dominant factor, with the airline network and road system both feeling the strain.
Travel analysts say severe weather is among the most common causes of large-scale holiday disruption because it affects flight operations, highway safety and airport staffing all at once. For many travellers, the weekend has become less about getting away and more about managing delays and changes.
Passengers were being urged to check flight status, prepare for longer journeys and factor in changing conditions before leaving home. With storms spreading across a large part of the country, transport disruption remained likely throughout the holiday period.
