Thunderstorms significantly impacted operations at Denver International Airport (DIA) on Saturday. Due to severe weather conditions, including high winds, over 400 flights were delayed. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials issued a ground delay starting at 3 p.m.
Storms Cause Extensive Flight Delays at Denver Airport
The ground delay at DIA was attributed to thunderstorms and high winds affecting the Colorado Front Range and Eastern Plains. The situation escalated further as runway construction was also taking place. By 6 p.m., the average delay for flights reached 91 minutes.
Flight Statistics
Flight tracking data from FlightAware reported the following delays:
- Total flight delays at DIA: 408
- Flight cancellations: 1
- United Airlines: 148 delayed flights
- SkyWest: 112 delayed flights
- Southwest Airlines: 105 delayed flights
Weather Forecast
The National Weather Service warned that severe thunderstorms could produce winds exceeding 60 mph throughout Saturday night. Winds were expected to be most intense along and north of Interstate 70. Additionally, southwest winds were forecasted to gain strength, with gusts up to 40 mph throughout the region.
Travelers are advised to check flight statuses regularly as conditions may continue to change. To stay updated with the latest Colorado news, individuals can subscribe to El-Balad’s daily newsletter.
