Atmospheric river forces flight delays, cancelations at SFO

As an atmospheric river makes its way into the Bay Area, flights at San Francisco International Airport have been drastically impacted.

According to Flight Aware, the airport saw more than 430 delays on Wednesday and more than 60 cancellations. With the storm not projected to clear up for a few days, aviation experts said it will impact those beginning their travel for Thanksgiving week.

“If we can’t get out of this weather, which it doesn’t look like we’re going to until sometime next week, all these people could be delayed and probably will be delayed to their destination,” said Mike McCaron, an aviation expert.

Donnie Pascal, who was flying to Florida, and their family had their flight delayed by two hours.

“I got snacks. I got my phone,” Pascal said.

Some passengers went to SFO to find out their flights were canceled.

As the storm progresses, more flights can be impacted, as the FAA continually reviews the number of planes the airport can accept per hour. Then, airlines have to respond accordingly.

McCaron said he recommends that travelers stay in touch with their carrier and check their flight status via an application.

According to the National Weather Service, several inches of rain have already fallen in the North Bay and are expected to spread further south in the region.