Standing floodwater closed the Interstate 285 westbound ramp to Interstate 85 southbound near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on September 11, 2026, while flight operations were disrupted by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ground stop during severe thunderstorms.
FAA Ground Stop Extended Into Ground Delay Program
The FAA initially imposed a ground stop for flights bound to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport from 4:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. on September 11, which halted all Atlanta-bound departures from 10 major air traffic control centers across the eastern, central, and southern United States.
Following the ground stop, the FAA converted the restriction into a ground delay program lasting through 9:59 p.m. that
evening. Average arrival delays rose to 107 minutes, with some flights delayed up to 271 minutes as flights were held on approach.
Widespread Heavy Rainfall and Flooding Across Metro Atlanta
Doppler radar recorded rainfall totals ranging from 1.5 to 2.5 inches in Clayton, DeKalb, and Fulton counties by 4:34 p.m., with heavier precipitation reaching 2.5 to 4 inches near Interstate 20 and Villa Rica Highway in Carroll and Douglas counties by 4:38 p.m., according to CBS News.
Flash flood warnings were active until 10:30 p.m. on September 11 for multiple metro Atlanta counties, including Clayton, DeKalb, Fulton, Carroll, Douglas, Haralson, and Paulding, as issued by the National Weather
Service.
Flooded areas included Courtney Drive near Finley Drive in Clayton County, and rising water rendered a section of GA 400 near Northridge Road in Sandy Springs impassable, alongside the I-285 westbound ramp to I-85 southbound interchange flooding in Fulton County leading to closure by the Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT).
Airport Operations and Regional Impact
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world's busiest passenger airport in 2025 with 106.3 million travelers and 63.1 million scheduled flight seats, experienced substantial operational disruption due to the ground stop and subsequent delay program managed by the FAA.
The airport's 4,700-acre footprint and status as a major hub
generated extensive ripple-effect delays, as holding incoming flights across ten regional air traffic control centers amplified arrival postponements beyond Georgia's borders.
Traveler Delays and Official Warnings
Departures were initially delayed approximately 45 minutes before the ground stop extended. The average arrival delay reached nearly two hours, and some flights experienced delays exceeding four and a half hours.
Authorities warned drivers to avoid flooded roads. The Georgia DOT and the National Weather Service advised motorists to obey barricades and refrain from attempting to cross submerged roadways, emphasizing that as little as 12 inches of moving water can sweep away vehicles.
DeKalb County officials and emergency personnel
monitored the severe weather closely during a September 11 memorial service, coordinating safety efforts amid the flood warnings.
