The storms currently hitting the east coast and mid-Atlantic region are creating problems for travelers, with flight delays and cancelations, according to USA Today.
Delays are being reported at seven of the region's, as well as the nation's, busiest airports, which means delays all across the country. The worst delays are up to two hours, according to the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) flight delay map.
The airports with the longest delays are Newark Liberty, New York LaGuardia and Philadelphia, but significant problems are also being reported at New York JFK, Washington Reagan National, Washington Dulles and Baltimore/Washington.
Almost every major U.S. airline operates a hub or focus city at one of the airports being affected by the storm, creating problems for travelers everywhere.
Approximately 275 flights have been canceled across the country so far, though the number may increase if the impact of the storm airline operations across the eastern seaboard is prolonged in any way. Chicago O'Hare began canceling flights as it was affected on Wednesday, leading to over 100 canceled flights. On Thursday, LaGuardia, Newark and Washington Dulles each have canceled approximately three-dozen flights, according to FlightStats.
The storm is being referred to as a "derecho," a Spanish word mean straight ahead, and it describes a very powerful thunderstorm with straight-line winds that generally reach speeds of between 58 and 100 mph. The storm system spans across more than 240 miles, and includes hail and large amounts of rain, making flash floods a potential problem.
The storm is so large that it has the potential to affect one in five Americans, which includes about 64 million people across 10 states, as it travels from the mid-west to the east coast.
In addition to the headaches the storm is causing travelers, the U.S. Open golf tournament, which is being held near Philadelphia, also may face problems.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
