The Federal Aviation Administration enforced ground stops at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) shortly after 11:20 a.m. and at William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) just before 11:30 a.m. on July 13, 2026. These measures resulted in average flight delays of 45 minutes at Intercontinental and 49 minutes at Hobby, according to data from Readers.
Tropical Moisture and Stalled Front Cause Heavy Storms
A combination of tropical moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and a stalled northern front produced heavy thunderstorms across Southeast Texas on July 13. The National Weather Service reported expected rainfall totals between 1 and 3 inches, with localized areas potentially receiving up to 5
inches. These conditions led to significant flooding in Houston and affected regional transportation.
Flight Disruptions Place Houston Airports Among National Leaders
FlightAware tracking data showed that George Bush Intercontinental Airport experienced 54 delayed flights on July 13, ranking it third nationally in flight disruptions. William P. Hobby Airport also ranked in the top ten with 24 delayed flights. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport reported the highest number of disruptions with 132 delayed or canceled flights on the same day.
National Weather Service Forecasts Continued Flood Risk and Thunderstorms
The National Weather Service maintained a flood risk level of 2 out of 4 through July 14, 2026, with the greatest thunderstorm coverage expected from late morning through early evening
hours on July 13. “Greatest coverage of (thunderstorm) activity is expected during late morning through early evening hours,” a weather forecaster said. The service also forecast a temporary lull in storm activity Monday night followed by another round of severe weather forecast for Tuesday.
