Ceiling leak forces gate closure at SEA Airport amid thunderstorms, ground delay
Jul 16, 2026, 3:27 PM | Updated: 3:29 pm
Vui Truong, from Burien, WA cleans a seating area Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. (Photo: Karen Ducey, Getty Images)
(Photo: Karen Ducey, Getty Images)
The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) ceiling began leaking water at one of its gates due to the lengthy thunderstorm on Thursday, leading to a temporary closure of the gate.
Amid the ever-changing stoppages, delays, and reopenings, rainwater started spilling from the ceiling onto airport seating and into buckets set out to collect it near Gate B11, SEA announced.
“Seattle is known for rain … just not inside SEA,” SEA wrote on social media.
Seattle is known for rain… just not inside SEA. Today’s wxr, combined with a clogged drain, caused some unexpected indoor weather near Gate B11. The gate is temporarily closed. One flight was moved to another gate. We’re cleaning up, making repairs, and working to reopen gate. pic.twitter.com/hY44buLvCD
— Seattle-Tacoma Intl. Airport (@flySEA) July 16, 2026
Clogged drain, heavy rain combined to send water pouring inside SEA
A combination of the inclement weather and a clogged drain caused the “unexpected indoor weather” to pour in from the ceiling.
Travelers were previously seen sitting in the same area, but quickly moved away as the rainwater breached the airport’s ceiling, according to FOX 13.
In response, one flight was moved to another gate while SEA staff will be cleaning the area, making repairs, and ultimately working toward reopening the gate.
Rain isn’t just falling outside at SeaTac Airport ☔️😳
Water has begun pouring through the ceiling inside the terminal as heavy storms move across the Seattle area, with travelers stopping to watch as crews responded to the leaks.
What are your thoughts on this⁉️🤔 #DUBSEA pic.twitter.com/BQFxIMJUKz
— dubsea (@dubseatv) July 16, 2026
Ground stop delayed at SEA Airport after thunderstorms hit the region
A ground delay has been issued for flights arriving at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport after thunderstorms swept through the region Thursday. The delay replaces an earlier ground stop.
In an update at 1:05 p.m., the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the ground delay is expected to last until 10:59 p.m.
RELATED STORIES
SEA ground stop impacts flights from several regions across the U.S., Canada
The ground stop impacted departures heading toward Seattle from three regional air traffic control zones in the U.S., as well as Canada, including:
- Salt Lake Center, UT (SLC)
- Oakland Center, CA (ZOA)
- Seattle Center, WA (ZSE)
- Edmonton, Canada (CYEG)
- Vancouver, Canada (CYVR)
- Calgary, Canada (CYYC)
- Victoria, Canada (CYYJ)
- Kelowna, Canada (CYLW)
In addition to the inbound flights being grounded, flights departing from SEA are experiencing average delay times of roughly 65 minutes. However, federal officials have said delays were increasing, according to FOX 13.
The FAA noted the delayed departures coincide with weather-related reroutes and mitigation restrictions.
Follow Jason Sutich on X. Send news tips here.
