Airlines Preemptively Delay and Cancel Ahead of Harveys Landfall (Credit: Meteorologist Jessica Olsen)

Image Courtesy: GOES.NOAA.Gov

DISCUSSION: Friday was possibly one of the most active weather days in some time and the rest of the weekend will not be shy as Hurricane Harvey batters the Texas and Gulf Coast. Travelers are expected to see some crippling delays in the South/Southeastern Texas region associated with Hurricane Harvey as it made landfall as a Category 4.
 
Harvey has slowed some as it has hit the coast, and is still providing devastating winds, rain and tornadoes as a Category 2 Hurricane as of 0400 CDT. According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) a division of NOAA, recent rainfall Quantitative Precipitation Forecast (QPF), an indication of precipitation amounts when a threshold minimum has been met has implied that precipitation in the Houston to Corpus Christi area could extend beyond 20 inches in the 168-hour forecast.
 
Ahead of the damaging winds, tornadoes, storm surge and rain, airlines have been proactively monitoring the situation to assist passengers when possible. In advance of Hurricane Harvey, American Airlines has activated their relief efforts with the American Red Cross. United, American and other airlines have offered updates and rebooking via their website and reservations to assist with travel difficulties. Harvey is expected to stall and bring heavy flooding to the area. This storm will remain relatively stagnant due to two large high pressure systems one to the northeast, the other southwest of the low, which will act as a blocking mechanism.
 
Airports affected at this time include: Austin, Beaumont, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Houston-Hobby, Lake Charles, Laredo, Midland, and San Antonio. We recommend contacting your local airline if you are traveling to/near the above cities as some cancellations have already been planned through Sunday. Surrounding cities are seeing an inundation of residents and travelers as local emergency crews have evacuated, thus making ground travel and hotel reservations difficult.
 
For updates on Hurricane Harvey and other weather impacting the nation visit the Global Weather and Climate Center!
 
© Meteorologist Jessica Olsen

Visit https://t.co/ufFoKFCcVG for updates and rebooking due to #HurricaneHarvey. Travel waiver: https://t.co/gAjiWabCD6 pic.twitter.com/uDETkaxVcw

— United (@united) August 25, 2017

Image Courtesy: NHC

In advance of #HurricaneHarvey, we've activated our relief efforts with the @RedCross. Here's how you can help: https://t.co/OH7NL8vKzo

— American Airlines (@AmericanAir) August 25, 2017