Thousands of flights out of Texas were canceled Tuesday morning as a winter storm swept across the South, creating hazardous travel conditions.
Flight operations at three Houston-area airports – George Bush Intercontinental Airport, William P. Hobby Airport and Ellington Airport – were temporarily suspended starting at 12 a.m. on Tuesday due to “extremely hazardous road conditions throughout Houston,” according to the Houston Airport System.
“To prioritize the safety of our passengers and staff, and due to extremely hazardous road conditions throughout Houston, flight operations at HOU will be temporarily suspended at 12 A.M. on Tuesday, January 21,” Hobby airport posted on X. “Please do not attempt to travel to the airport after this time.”
The George Bush Intercontinental Airport, which posted a similar message, also asked passengers not to attempt driving to the airport.
As of 9 a.m. ET, 93% of flights at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport have been canceled, according to flight tracking website FlightAware.
FIRST-EVER BLIZZARD WARNING ISSUED ALONG GULF COAST AS ONCE-IN-A-GENERATION WINTER STORM SLAMS SOUTH
About 94% of flights at Hobby airport and 89% of flights at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport have also been canceled, according to FlightAware.
HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER
The warnings came after heavy snow began dumping across Houston and other major metropolitan areas along the Interstate 10 corridor, according to FOX Weather.
The National Weather Service office in Lake Charles, Louisiana, predicted that blizzard conditions will continue across southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana through Tuesday morning.
Accompanying the snow are wind gusts of about 35 mph, further “creating hazardous conditions to anyone exposed outdoors for extended periods of time”, according to the NWS.
The NWS office in Fort Worth, Texas, said a cold weather advisory will continue through Tuesday morning.
