San Francisco International Airport encountered multiple Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ground stops on November 9, 2026, due to dense fog and low cloud ceilings. The first major ground stop started shortly before 8 a.m. Pacific Time and disrupted flight operations during the morning.
By approximately 10:30 a.m. Pacific Time, the airport recorded 187 delayed flights and three cancellations. The first ground stop was lifted around 9:15 a.m., but a ground delay program remained active to manage arrivals. Additional ground stops were implemented around 10:28 a.m. and shortly before noon to control departures to San Francisco.
Fog and Visibility Conditions Cause Disruptions
The flight delay disruptions were
caused by dense fog and low clouds that reduced visibility near San Francisco International Airport. Around 8 a.m., visibility dropped to approximately 0.13 miles. The National Weather Service issued a dense fog advisory for the San Francisco Bay area, warning of visibility as low as a quarter mile along the bay shoreline. These conditions reduced the airport’s capacity by requiring increased spacing between aircraft and the use of low-visibility procedures.
Operational Impact and Flight Delays
Flight arrivals at San Francisco International Airport faced an average delay of about 63 minutes during the fog-related disruption. The FAA held select departures at other U.S. airports prior to
departure to prevent congestion in the San Francisco airspace. This measure affected flights scheduled to land in San Francisco, even when weather conditions at their departure points were clear.
Travelers Should Monitor Flight Status
Passengers traveling to or through San Francisco International Airport should monitor flight-specific information directly with their airlines and prepare for potential delays. The delays and cancellations recorded by 10:30 a.m. do not represent final totals for the day as the FAA continued managing traffic throughout November 9. The airport remained operational under FAA traffic management measures, which are temporary and not indicative of airport closure.
