The Federal Aviation Administration imposed weather-related ground stops at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) in Houston on July 13, 2026. The ground stop at IAH began shortly after 11:20 a.m. and lasted until 12:45 p.m., causing an average departure delay of 45 minutes. At HOU, the ground stop started just before 11:30 a.m. and continued until 1:00 p.m., with average flight delays reaching 49 minutes.
Thunderstorms and heavy rainfall were driven by a combination of tropical moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and a stalled northern front over Southeast Texas. The National Weather Service
forecast bulletins indicated cumulative rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches across the region, with some localized areas receiving up to 5 inches where storms repeatedly passed. A level 2 out of 4 risk for excessive rainfall remained in effect through July 14, 2026, with the Weather Prediction Center highlighting a continued flood risk in the area.
FlightAware data ranked George Bush Intercontinental Airport third nationally for flight disruptions on that day, with 54 delayed flights. William P. Hobby Airport placed in the nation’s top ten for flight delays, recording 24 delayed departures. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport led the nation
with 132 delayed or canceled flights. The severe weather conditions notably impacted departures and arrivals across these major Texas hubs.
According to the National Weather Service, the greatest coverage of thunderstorm activity was expected from late morning through the early evening hours on July 13. After a brief lull in storm activity late Monday evening, another round of storms was forecast for early Tuesday morning, July 14. Forecasts projected weather conditions to gradually improve starting Wednesday, with sunshine returning on Thursday and temperatures climbing to 95 degrees Fahrenheit by Friday.
Flooding on Houston city streets accompanied the severe storms, adding
to local travel difficulties. FOX 26 extended a local Storm Alert through July 14 due to elevated flood threats. The ground stops and storm-related disruptions contributed to widespread delays and cancellations at Houston’s primary airports, affecting traveler departures throughout the day.
National Weather Service meteorologists in Houston described the region as being engulfed by a “deep tropical airmass” on July 13. They noted, “Greatest coverage of (thunderstorm) activity is expected during late morning through early evening hours,” and forecast “a lull in activity is anticipated for Monday night with another round of activity set for Tuesday.” The service also confirmed
that “(cumulative) forecast rainfall totals continue to fall into the 1- to 3-inch range.”
