San Francisco airport braces for holiday storm
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A massive winter storm is expected to hit the heart of the country just in time for the holidays, and even SFO — the nation's top airport — is bracing for a tough week ahead.
Why it matters: The storm is expected to interfere with both passenger travel and cargo transport across a vast stretch of the U.S., Axios' Joann Muller and Andrew Freedman report.
- Long-awaited family reunions could be interrupted, while last-minute holiday gifts might not arrive in time for Christmas.
Driving the news: Widespread heavy snow and possible blizzard conditions could occur Thursday through Christmas Eve across the Midwest and Ohio Valley.
- The storm will be accompanied by dangerously cold air, with wind chills around -30°F in Chicago, for example, by Friday night.
Where it stands: Airlines are closely monitoring the storm and are likely to preemptively cancel flights as the forecast becomes clearer.
- SFO spokesperson Doug Yakel told Axios that Denver and Chicago are the primary airports that could affect local passengers, and suggested signing up for airline travel alerts.
- Try to arrive at SFO earlier than you normally would as well, and consider taking public transit or a rideshare if you don't already have parking reservations.
By the numbers: Nationally, AAA estimates that nearly 113 million people plan to travel at least 50 miles away from home this holiday season — close to pre-pandemic levels.
- At SFO, Yakel said the airport is expecting around 80% of the travel volume it saw during the 2019 holiday season, before COVID-19 shut down much of the country.
Be smart: If your plans are flexible, try to rebook your flight, or hit the road early, to avoid the storm's peak impact Thursday and Friday.
💠Nick's thought bubble: My family and I are leaving for Pittsburgh on Thursday and can't wait for the fun travel times ahead!
- We tried rescheduling our flight to leave earlier, but sadly there were only middle seats available. And with a 1 year old, that sounded worse than a delay.
- Anyways, be safe out there and see you on the other side!