Hurricane Isaias could disrupt travel plans across the Southeast this weekend, as the Category 3 storm bears down on the western Florida Panhandle.
As of Friday afternoon, flight cancellations were limited to smaller airports in the Panhandle, according to the tracking service FlightAware. Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport suspended operations Thursday night; Pensacola International Airport, Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport and Gulf Shores International Airport in Alabama all closed on Friday.
While the hurricane had not caused notable delays or cancellations at larger transportation hubs in the region Friday afternoon, experts said that could change when the storm makes landfall late Friday or early Saturday.
The Federal Aviation Administration warned that the storm could affect travel along the Gulf Coast and across the Southeast through the weekend. The agency said thunderstorm-related delays were also possible on Friday at major airports in Florida, including Orlando International, Tampa International and Miami International.
The storm could affect two other major Southeastern hubs, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world’s busiest, and Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, starting late Friday through Saturday, said Dan DePodwin, the vice president of AccuWeather’s forecasting operations.
Mr. DePodwin said he expected heavy rain and wind gusts of up to 50 miles per hour in Atlanta to force a “good number” of delays and cancellations. Disruptions should be less severe in Charlotte, he said.
Weather-related impacts at these hubs could cause ripple effects across the country over the weekend, Mr. DePodwin added. On Sunday, the risk for delays from low cloud height will shift to the Northeast, including cities like Washington and New York City.
Some airlines have extended the length of their previous travel waivers, allowing passengers to change flights at no extra cost if they can travel by the middle of next week. American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines are now offering free changes for customers flying through Sunday at several airports in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi. These waivers did not include Atlanta or Charlotte airports as of Friday afternoon.
Amtrak has suspended its Mardi Gras Service this weekend between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., and its Crescent service between New Orleans and Atlanta, said Marc Magliari, a company spokesman.
The routes will reopen after an assessment following the storm, Mr. Magliari said. The timeline to restart service will depend on track conditions, whether there are power outages along the routes, and if crossing gates are in place, he added.
Greyhound and FlixBus advised bus passengers that severe weather may cause delays or cancellations on some routes. A Greyhound spokeswoman said the company had canceled several routes across the Southeast and Gulf Coast, including in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Additional routes may be affected through Sunday.
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