ATLANTA – If you’re flying out of or through Atlanta ahead of Thanksgiving, prepare for potential delays at the world’s busiest airport.

Possible travel delays in Atlanta

What they’re saying:

Storms moving into Georgia on Tuesday could create travel headaches at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, according to the FOX 5 Storm Team.

“It’s beautiful today — clear skies, sunshine, and mild temperatures — but that’s going to change,” said FOX 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Alex Forbes. “We’ve got another cold front coming in that’s going to bring the risk for some stronger storms on Tuesday.”

The National Weather Service and FOX 5 Storm Team are tracking a system that could bring damaging winds up to 60 miles per hour, hail up to one inch in diameter, and frequent lightning.
Rain chances are expected to reach 70% Tuesday, with most of metro Atlanta likely seeing three-quarters of an inch to an inch of rainfall, and some isolated areas nearing two inches.

“The rain chance on Tuesday is going to be at 70%,” Forbes said. “There’s a better chance than not of seeing some rain. In an extreme instance, you might see upwards of about two inches.”

The timing of the storms could coincide with one of the busiest travel days of the year.

“We’re going to see scattered showers and storms over the airport at some point, maybe at several points,” Forbes explained. “Planes can’t get through fronts — they go around them — so you’re going to be looking at longer flight times from any cities that are on the other side of that boundary: Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Louisville.”

Add in the holiday crowds, and even small disruptions could ripple through the national flight network.

“Mix into that the number of people flying, the number of planes in the air, and then, oh, by the way, it’s going to storm at Hartsfield–Jackson at some point,” Forbes said. “So Tuesday at the airport, we might have some visitors spending the night with us here in the Atlanta area.”

Clear, seasonable Thanksgiving in Atlanta

What’s next:

The good news: once the front moves through Tuesday night, skies will clear and temperatures will drop sharply — setting up a chilly but calm Thanksgiving Day.

“We clear out for Thanksgiving,” Forbes said. “Then it’s smooth sailing into next weekend.”

2025 Standard Practice Squad Elevations

Atlanta Hawks (9-7, seventh in the Eastern Conference) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (2-14, 15th in the Western Conference)

New Orleans; Saturday, 7 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Hawks -8.5; over/under is 230.5

BOTTOM LINE: New Orleans heads into the matchup with Atlanta as losers of eight games in a row.

The Pelicans have gone 1-7 in home games. New Orleans gives up 121.8 points to opponents and has been outscored by 12.5 points per game.

The Hawks are 7-3 on the road. Atlanta is second in the Eastern Conference with 30.4 assists per game led by Jalen Johnson averaging 6.6.

The Pelicans average 109.3 points per game, 6.4 fewer points than the 115.7 the Hawks give up. The Hawks average 117.8 points per game, 4.0 fewer than the 121.8 the Pelicans allow to opponents.

TOP PERFORMERS: Trey Murphy III is shooting 47.0% and averaging 20.3 points for the Pelicans. Jeremiah Fears is averaging 3.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Johnson is averaging 22.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.8 steals for the Hawks. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is averaging 38 points, five assists and three blocks over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Pelicans: 2-8, averaging 110.3 points, 41.8 rebounds, 23.5 assists, 10.2 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 45.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.4 points per game.

Hawks: 6-4, averaging 118.7 points, 40.8 rebounds, 31.6 assists, 10.7 steals and 5.6 blocks per game while shooting 50.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.1 points.

INJURIES: Pelicans: Karlo Matkovic: day to day (calf), Dejounte Murray: out (leg), Jordan Poole: day to day (knee).

Hawks: N’Faly Dante: out (knee), Nikola Đurisic: out (elbow), Trae Young: out (knee), Onyeka Okongwu: day to day (ankle).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.