Planning a July 4th trip? These US states face the worst storm delays
Florida remains among the trouble spots for travel on Wednesday due to heavy showers and thunderstorms.
Stormy weather can play a major spoilsport for Americans traveling for July Fourth festivities, as the United States is gearing up for the busiest week of air travel on Independence Day in 15 years. According to NBC News, Florida remained among the locations under watch as of Wednesday, due to heavy showers and thunderstorms. Additionally, many are witnessing lingering delays in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore.
On Tuesday, airports in New York City, Boston and Washington, D.C., witnessed major chaos after ground stops were issued up and down the Eastern Seaboard. However, the skies have mostly cleared now.
Fourth July travel delays: What to know?
Travelers have faced issues on the East Coast for the past several days. Recently, a video featured several passengers sitting on the floor at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport due to severe storms, per the outlet.
The weather department stated that a flood watch remains in place for Norfolk, Virginia, on Wednesday after the area witnessed heavy rainfall in the last 24 hours.
While the northern plains are expected to witness heavy thunderstorms and rains have been predicted for Florida, most of the remaining areas in the country have been predicted to witness clear skies, making fireworks possible come July Fourth.
300,000 flights expected this week: FAA
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) earlier informed that the country is bracing itself for a busy holiday schedule, with as many as 300,000 flights expected throughout the week, according to the outlet.
This includes 49,784 scheduled flights for Wednesday, 51,284 on Thursday and 35,066 on Friday, when people will celebrate Independence Day.
Post that, the number of flights will again jump to 42,866 scheduled flights for Saturday, 47,966 on Sunday as well as 50,128 on Monday.
During this year's July 4 celebrations, the Transportation Security Administration expects over 18.5 million people to travel by air and pass through various airport security checkpoints in the country. The projection is for the July 1-7 period, with the highest passenger volume (2.9 million) expected on July 6.
Between June 27 and July 7, United Airlines is expecting to fly over six million passengers, which is roughly 500,000 more than the 2024 estimates.
Out of these, June 27 and July 3 have been predicted to be the busiest days of travel, with the airline planning to onboard 580,000 passengers each day.
FAQs:
1. Is July 4 a federal holiday?
Yes, the Fourth of July is a federal holiday, according to the US Office of Personnel Management.
2. How many Americans are expected to travel this Independence Day?
The American Automobile Association (AAA) predicted that 72.2 million people are expected to travel domestically in the US, between June 28 to July 6.
3. How many people are expected to travel by car this weekend?
AAA estimates show that 61.6 million people are planning to travel by car this time.
