Hundreds of flights canceled out of Sea-Tac due to snow
Dec 20, 2022, 7:31 AM | Updated: 7:44 am
Planes need de-icer at Sea-Tac (Photo from the Port of Seattle)
(Photo from the Port of Seattle)
Holiday travel is being impacted in a big way as hundreds of flights out of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport have been delayed or canceled due to snow in Seattle and the Puget Sound region.
On Monday, there were 480 delays and 33 cancellations, and so far on Tuesday, there have been an additional 42 delays and 180 cancellations, according to FlightAware, an online tracker.
For most of Monday and Tuesday morning, Sea-Tac has been at the top of FlightAware’s “Misery Map,” which shows the U.S. airports with the most delays and cancellations.
4-6 inches of snow predicted for Seattle Monday night
Many of the flights canceled Tuesday were precanceled to avoid a backup of aircraft needing to be de-iced, Alaska Airlines said in their blog post.
“In order to reduce traffic jams, we need to proactively cancel flights from our schedule so we can keep as many aircraft moving as possible,” the post read.
“If we need to cancel flights, we try and let impacted guests know as early as possible. This means it could look clear and beautiful outside, but your flight tomorrow may have been canceled,” the post continued.
Temperatures are expected to range from the teens to upper 20s Fahrenheit, with winds making it feel even colder.
The National Weather Service said lows Thursday morning are forecast to be in the teens throughout the Puget Sound region, with single digits possible near the U.S.-Canadian border.
Full winter travel information for those traveling by car can be found on the Washington Department of Transportation website.
