Weather news
4 hr 22 min nationwide ground stop Friday grounded about 633,000 travelers
By Ryan Hall, Y'all Weather Desk ยท Published
Written by our automated news desk from National Weather Service data.
Key points
- Where: Every U.S. airport, from coast to coast.
- When: 3:53 PM to about 8:15 PM ET Friday, Nov. 13.
- What: The FAA halted departures nationwide. Reports tie it to a failed update on the telecom network the FAA uses.
- What it means: Southwest and JetBlue canceled the rest of Friday, and JetBlue also canceled some Saturday flights.
A nationwide FAA ground stop kept departing planes on the ground across the U.S. for 4 hours and 22 minutes on Friday, Nov. 13, from 3:53 PM to about 8:15 PM ET. That is the longest since 9/11 as far as we can find. We estimate about 633,000 travelers were grounded.
Skies are reopening tonight, but airlines are still catching up. If you fly tonight or Saturday, check your airline app before you leave for the airport. Unless noted, all times below are Eastern.
How the afternoon went
A notice at 3:44 PM said Boston Center reported telecom issues. Nine minutes later, at 3:53 PM, the nationwide stop began. At 4:08 PM there were 4,266 planes over the lower 48. By 8:18 PM that was down to 336, the low for the night, according to OpenSky data on all aircraft.
The FAA called it a "temporary telecommunications outage" at 5:04 PM. The stop ended around 8:15 PM.
How we got to 633,000 travelers
FlightRadar24 counted 5,758 fewer U.S. passenger departures between 3:53 and 8:15 PM than on the same stretch of last Friday. From that gap, our final estimate is about 633,000 travelers grounded. It is an estimate, not an official count.
What caused it
CBS News, citing multiple sources, reports a failed update to the L3Harris-run FAA telecom network. The Wall Street Journal also ties the problem to the L3Harris network. Neither the FAA nor L3Harris has confirmed that. The FBI and DHS say they see no sign of an attack.
So the reported cause is a technical failure, not weather. The cause could still change as more comes out.
Weather over the weekend
The sky is not adding to the mess in most places. No severe storms are expected Saturday. Saturday night, storms move from the eastern Texas Panhandle into north-central Texas, with a Level 1 of 4 (Marginal) flash flood risk. On Sunday, Nov. 15, there is a Level 1 of 5 (Marginal) severe risk along the Texas Gulf Coast, which includes Houston and Corpus Christi.
Out West, a Winter Storm Warning for the Lake Tahoe area runs until 10 AM PST Saturday. It calls for up to 20 inches of snow along the crest west of the lake and ridge gusts of 70 to 90 mph. Houston and Tahoe travelers should watch for weather delays on top of any leftover ones from Friday.
What to do
- Open your airline app or text alerts before you head out. Southwest and JetBlue have already canceled the rest of Friday.
- If you fly JetBlue on Saturday, check for a cancellation first, since some flights are already off the board.
- Leave extra time and pack snacks and a charger.
- Our airport delay outlook tracks delays, and Y'all Alerts are free if you want weather warnings sent to you.
Bottom line
A reported failed update, not a storm, put nationwide departures on hold for 4 hours and 22 minutes Friday. Planes are moving again, but check your flight before you go.
| When | What | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 3:44 PM | Notice says Boston Center reported telec | |
| 3:53 PM | Nationwide ground stop begins | ATCSCC advisory 111 |
| 4:08 PM | 4,266 planes over the lower 48 | OpenSky, all aircraft |
| 5:04 PM | FAA cites a temporary telecommunications | |
| About 8:15 PM | Ground stop ends | 4 hr 22 min total |
| 8:18 PM | 336 planes over the lower 48, the low | OpenSky, all aircraft |
More on November 2026 weather
Places in this story: Boston, MA