Weather news

FAA national ground stop: US departures halted Friday, Nov. 13

By Ryan Hall, Y'all Weather Desk ยท Published

Written by our automated news desk from National Weather Service data.

Key points

  • Where: Every airport in the US.
  • When: Started 3:53 PM ET Friday, Nov. 13. The advisory lists 11 PM ET (10 PM Central, 8 PM Pacific) as the end of the event window, but departures stay held until the FAA says otherwise.
  • What: All departing flights are held. Inbound international flights will be handled case by case.
  • Why: The FAA's only stated reason is "extraordinary circumstances" and "reasons of safety." It has not named a cause.
  • What it means: If you are flying out tonight, expect delays and don't count on the 11 PM ET window as a firm end.

The FAA has ordered a national ground stop, which means no flight can take off from any airport in the US as of 3:53 PM ET (2:53 PM Central, 12:53 PM Pacific) Friday, Nov. 13. The advisory lists an end time of 11 PM ET tonight, but it also says departing traffic stays stopped "until further notice." The FAA has not said what caused it.

What the FAA has actually said

The order comes from FAA Advisory 111, signed at 3:54 PM ET. The wording is short: "Due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety," all airports are ground stopped, and all departing traffic should remain ground stopped until further notice. Inbound international flights will be managed one at a time.

That is everything we have from the agency. It has not said whether this is a system problem, a security issue or something else. We won't guess. When the FAA gives a reason, we will add it here.

Everything still in the air

This is a look at everything still airborne over the US as of 4:10 PM ET. The order is about departures. We don't have word yet on how flights already in the air are being handled, so check with your airline if a family member or a ride is on one.

Weather does not explain the nationwide stop

Nothing in our weather outlooks explains this. No severe storms are expected anywhere in the US today or Saturday, Nov. 14. The next severe storm risk is a Level 1 of 5 (Marginal Risk) across Texas on Sunday, Nov. 15.

The weather that is active is regional. Northern California has flood advisories and coastal flooding along San Francisco Bay, and a Winter Storm Warning covers the Lake Tahoe area, with up to 20 inches of snow along the crest west of the lake. Lake-effect snow could add a localized 1 to 3 inches in Grand Traverse County, Michigan, especially away from the immediate lakeshore of Grand Traverse Bay. Those hazards are regional, not nationwide, and the FAA has not identified weather as the cause of the ground stop.

What to do

  • If you fly tonight: Check your airline's app or text alerts before you leave for the airport.
  • If you are already at the airport: Stay in touch with your airline and ask about rebooking options.
  • If you are picking someone up: Check whether their flight is already airborne or still waiting on the ground before you head out.
  • If your flight is Saturday or later: Check your flight status before leaving for the airport. We don't know yet how long this stop will last.
  • Follow along: Our airport delay outlook and active warnings pages show what the weather is doing at airports. You can also sign up for free Y'all Alerts.

How sure we are

The ground stop itself is confirmed, straight from the FAA advisory. The cause and the true end time are not known. The 11 PM ET time is the advisory's event window, and the same advisory says departures stay held until further notice. Treat any end time as a best guess until the FAA lifts the order.

Bottom line

All US departures are on hold from 3:53 PM ET Friday, with an advisory window running to 11 PM ET and no firm restart time. The FAA has not identified weather as the cause, so check your airline before you head to the airport.

More on November 2026 weather

Sources

https://ryanhallyall.com/news/faa-national-ground-stop-us-departures-halted-friday-nov-13