San Francisco International Airport (SFO) faced multiple Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ground stops on Monday, November 9, 2026, prompted by dense fog and low clouds affecting flight operations.
Timeline of Ground Stops and Flight Delays
The initial FAA ground stop began shortly before 8 a.m. Pacific Time and was lifted around 9:15 a.m., according to FAA traffic management records. Despite the lift, a ground delay program remained active to moderate arrivals. Additional ground stops occurred around 10:28 a.m. and just before noon, imposing further restrictions on flights headed to SFO.
By approximately 10:30 a.m., 187 flights had been delayed and three canceled at SFO, reflecting the impact
of the FAA’s air traffic controls during the dense fog event.
FAA Operational Measures During Reduced Visibility
The FAA employed ground delay programs and held some departures at other US airports with flights destined for San Francisco. These measures aimed to prevent excessive airspace congestion stemming from restricted aircraft movement caused by low-visibility operations at SFO.
Ground stops temporarily held inbound flights on the ground at their departure airports to maintain safety and manage airport capacity affected by limited visibility and low cloud ceilings in the San Francisco Bay area.
Visibility Conditions and Weather Advisories
The San Francisco Chronicle reported visibility dropping to approximately 0.13 miles at SFO around 8 a.m.
Pacific Time. The National Weather Service issued a dense fog advisory covering San Francisco and adjacent bay shoreline areas, warning that visibility could drop to as low as one quarter of a mile.
These weather conditions contributed to significant flight disruptions throughout the morning as pilots and controllers operated under strict low-visibility procedures.
Impact on Flight Delays and Passenger Experience
Arriving flights at San Francisco International Airport experienced average delays of roughly 63 minutes during the fog-induced ground stops. Passengers aboard inbound flights faced longer wait times, and cancellations affected a limited number of flights by mid-morning.
Travelers originating from other US airports on routes to SFO
also encountered delays due to FAA-imposed ground holds at their respective departure points, even when weather conditions at those airports were clear.
Airport Vulnerability and Operational Limitations
SFO’s proximity to San Francisco Bay makes it highly susceptible to coastal fog and low cloud ceilings, which reduce visibility and require increased spacing between aircraft during arrivals and departures. These conditions lower airport throughput, necessitating FAA traffic management interventions such as ground stops.
Ground stops manage air traffic flow but do not indicate airport closure. Instead, they serve to safeguard flight operations under adverse weather conditions by limiting the number of aircraft in the destination airport’s airspace
at one time.
Ongoing Status and Potential Further Disruptions
While 187 delayed flights and three cancellations were reported by late morning, these figures do not represent final totals for November 9. The FAA continues to monitor the weather and operational status at SFO, with further updates expected to clarify whether additional delays or cancellations occur later in the day.
Airline-specific flight information remains the most reliable source for passengers regarding ongoing disruption status on routes to and from San Francisco International Airport.
