Flights across Florida were disrupted by Hurricane Idalia Tuesday and Wednesday, as airports closed in preparation for the storm.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned travelers Tuesday afternoon that Tampa International Airport, St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, Sarasota Bradenton International Airport and Tallahassee International Airport had all closed or would close ahead of the hurricane.
Tampa suspended all commercial operations at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday and was followed by St. Pete-Clearwater at 3 p.m., Sarasota Bradenton at 7 p.m. and Tallahassee at 11 p.m.
Idalia made landfall Wednesday morning in the Florida Big Bend region as a Category 3 hurricane, with forecasters warning of the potential for “catastrophic damage.” The hurricane, which has lost some of its intensity as it has moved inland, has since been downgraded to a Category 2.
“Hurricane #Idalia is causing flight cancellations as it makes landfall in Florida,” the FAA said Wednesday in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “Severe weather can affect flights beyond the immediate area. Check with your airline for your flight status before leaving home.”
According to the flight tracker FlightAware, 193 flights out of Tampa International Airport, or 89 percent of all flights, had been canceled as of Wednesday morning. Another 22 flights out of Sarasota Bradenton, 16 out of Tallahassee and four out of St. Pete-Clearwater had also been canceled.
Tampa International Airport remained closed Wednesday but said it hoped to announce its reopening plans later in the day. Tallahassee International Airport has not yet issued any updates about its potential reopening.
St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport plans to reopen at 3 p.m. Wednesday, while Sarasota Bradenton International Airport was open and operational at 8 a.m.
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