The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed a ground stop at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on July 13, 2026, due to thunderstorms in the vicinity. The ground stop was initially set to last until 2:30 p.m., extended until 4 p.m., and was later allowed to expire.
Eastern Georgia remains under a severe thunderstorm watch until 9 p.m., covering 25 counties: Baker, Berrien, Brooks, Calhoun, Clay, Colquitt, Cook, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lanier, Lee, Lowndes, Miller, Mitchell, Quitman, Randolph, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, Tift, and Worth.
As of about 1 p.m., the FAA reported more than 900 flight delays at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
Airport. The average delay time was 40 minutes, with maximum delays reaching 75 minutes.
The ground stop caused a temporary halting of flights until it was lifted. Despite this, flights continued to face disruptions throughout the day due to ongoing weather issues.
Severe Weather Team 2 Meteorologist Eboni Deon noted the chance for scattered or isolated severe storms Sunday afternoon in the region. The FAA indicated there was a 30 to 60 percent chance that the ground stop could have been further extended if conditions worsened.
