The Affects of Severe Winter Weather

The most perfect day while traveling via plane you hope for clear skies, low speed winds, and not a rain cloud in the sight. Am I right? Unfortunately, we don't live in a perfect world and if we're super lucky, the plane has off boarded and would be clean on time. Delayed flights aren't particualy avoidant, especially in aviation. Weather hazards (i.e. heavy rainfall, snow, dense fog, or even low clouds) can have a direct impact on flight safety and operations. The wrong call could result in fatal consequences if a flight plan isn't correctly executed.

In mid-January 2024, Arctic air spilled south from Canada and wandered for several days over United States. With this chill, it brought a fridged mix of cold temperatures, freezing rain, and snow that expanded from the Pacific Northwest all the way to the East Coast. Worldwide delays were a result of the week long blast and resulted in delays totaled 25,419 with 4,150 cancellations. Southwest Airlines leads in the U.S. with 761 cancellations which is 19% of its flights and Alaska Airlines cancelled 167 flights. The reasoing for all delays and cancellations was due to time spent de-icing the runways. 


References

Arctic chill sweeps U.s. (2024). Retrieved from https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/152333/arctic-chill-sweeps-us

Napolitano, E. (2024, January 15). Airlines scrap thousands of flights as wintry weather disrupts travel. Retrieved March 10, 2024, from CBS News website: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/flight-cancellations-airport-winter-weather/


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