Atlanta airport cancellations continue following evening storms

Friday evening storms brought heavy downpours, strong winds and hail to parts of the metro area — and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport was still experiencing the effects Saturday.

The Federal Aviation Administration did not report any ongoing delays as of Saturday afternoon, but 460 flights had been canceled.

On Friday, 905 flights were delayed and 399 were canceled.

ExploreDid you see it? Meteor spotted over Georgia, Southeast, reports say.

Delta spokesperson Erica Hutlas confirmed to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that additional delays and cancellations were expected Saturday as workers reset aircraft and flight crews take required rest periods.

“Delta people are working as safely and quickly as possible to recover flights impacted by thunderstorms, lightning, hail and winds at our Atlanta hub Friday night. We thank our customers for their continued patience and understanding,” Hutlas said.

About 100 aircraft were inspected overnight by Delta technicians because of storm impacts, and officials said nearly all of them are returning to service Saturday.

The impacts come as Hartsfield-Jackson expects to see more than 4 million passengers between Thursday and July 7. Friday was anticipated to be the busiest day, with nearly 400,000 passengers projected, according to a news release.

ExploreAirport braces for more than a week’s worth of July 4th crowds

The storms entered metro Atlanta around 6 p.m. Friday, prompting widespread severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings.

Intense downpours brought strong winds and quarter-inch hail to the Atlanta airport, forcing more than 90 diversions to other airports in the Southeast and a temporary pause in airport operations.

The FAA confirmed that strong winds required the evacuation of the air traffic control tower at Hartsfield-Jackson around 10:30 p.m. Friday. A ground stop had also been issued around 9 p.m.

Other delays from the stormy weather occurred at Truist Park. An Atlanta Braves game against the Philadelphia Phillies was delayed by more than two hours.

And the NASCAR Infinity race at EchoPark Speedway, formerly known as Atlanta Motor Speedway, was delayed by just over an hour in Hampton.

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Airport braces for more than a week’s worth of July 4th crowds

This Friday will be the busiest with nearly 400,000 projected passengers, according to the Atlanta airport.

Overnight storms leave thousands without power across Georgia, more rain coming

Georgia Power reported about 13,800 customers in the dark. Georgia EMC showed its members had more than 3,000 outages. Both agencies have already restored power to thousands.