On August 6, 2026, severe thunderstorms caused significant flight disruptions at Washington’s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport. The weather event led to delays and ground stops affecting arrivals and departures in the Washington, D.C. area.
FAA Ground Delay Programs and Ground Stops
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented a ground delay program at Reagan National starting at 3:51 p.m. Eastern Time, scheduled to remain in effect until 11:59 p.m. The average arrival delay at Reagan National was 41 minutes, with some flights delayed up to 151 minutes. An earlier ground stop at this airport was canceled, though delays persisted due to ongoing
weather conditions.
At Washington Dulles International Airport, a ground stop was enforced from 2:55 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. Following the lift of the ground stop, departure delays averaged 45 minutes shortly before 4:00 p.m., with airport operations officials reporting that delays continued to increase because of the thunderstorms.
Official Actions and Traveler Impact
The FAA cited thunderstorms affecting arrivals at Reagan National as the reason for the imposed ground delay program. Dulles Airport officials noted that departure delays were escalating as the storms persisted. These disruptions resulted in flight delays and some cancellations at both airports.
Travelers affected by the weather-related delays at Reagan
National and Dulles airports were urged to verify the latest flight information with their airlines before proceeding to the airports.
The flight disruptions occurred amid severe summer storms that targeted Virginia following days of hot weather, contributing to challenging operating conditions at both Washington area airports.
