The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed weather-related ground stops at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) shortly after 11:20 a.m. and at William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) just before 11:30 a.m. on July 13, 2026, following severe storms that flooded city streets. Initial delays at Intercontinental averaged about 45 minutes before increasing, while delays at Hobby averaged 49 minutes. FlightAware data recorded 54 delayed flights at Intercontinental and 24 at Hobby, ranking Intercontinental third and Hobby among the top ten airports nationally for delays that day. Ground stops were expected to last until 12:45 p.m. at Intercontinental and 1:00 p.m.
at Hobby, with a 30 to 60 percent chance of being extended.
Weather Causes and Rainfall Totals
Heavy downpours resulted from a combination of tropical Gulf moisture and a stalled northern front over Southeast Texas. These conditions triggered severe thunderstorms that led to street flooding and flight groundings at Houston’s two major airports. The National Weather Service forecast cumulative rainfall totals between 1 to 3 inches across the region, with localized areas receiving up to 5 inches.
Excessive Rainfall Risk and Storm Activity
The National Weather Service maintained a level 2 of 4 excessive rainfall risk for the Houston area through July 14, 2026. Forecasters indicated that the greatest thunderstorm coverage
would occur from late morning through early evening hours on July 13, followed by a lull Monday night. However, another round of storm activity was expected on Tuesday. The forecast also noted flood risk shifting toward the Brazos Valley region as storm patterns evolve.
Impact on Flight Operations
The FAA expected ground stops to last until at least 12:45 p.m. at Intercontinental and 1:00 p.m. at Hobby airports, with a 30 to 60 percent chance of extension. These weather-related halts led to widespread delays that disrupted hundreds of flights. The severe weather placed Houston’s airports among the nation’s busiest for delays on July 13,
ranking Intercontinental third and Hobby in the top ten for delayed flights, according to FlightAware. Travelers encountered delays averaging 45 minutes at Intercontinental and 49 minutes at Hobby, with further delays anticipated amid ongoing storm activity. Flight operations were temporarily halted to maintain safety amid persistent storms.
