How Hurricane Irma is affecting flights at Columbia airport

Some flights from Columbia Metropolitan Airport were canceled Monday while some others were delayed as storms created by Tropical Storm Irma swept across the Southeast.

Delta Airlines and American Airlines canceled flights to Atlanta and Charlotte, part of dozens of cancellations across the Southeast related to high winds and heavy rain.

The weather scrambled arrivals and departures all day, according to airport spokeswoman Lynne Douglas.

Delta canceled at least 800 flights and American at least 700 across their systems because of the weather.

Crosswinds made it dangerous for smaller regional aircraft to fly, Delta said in a statement. In addition, other flights originating in Florida were grounded after the storm battered that state.

Normal air travel largely should resume Tuesday after cancellations that are “fairly typical” for any storm, Columbia airport director Dan Mann said.

Storm warnings allowed airlines to concentrate aircraft and crews at hubs so that air travel will be ready to go when conditions improve, he said.

The exception will be travel to and from Florida and the Caribbean as airlines assess damage and power outages at 50 airports.

“Florida still is going to be a problem for a few days,” Mann said.

Meanwhile, traffic on roads across the Columbia area was lighter than normal after nearly all area schools closed along with state and local agencies.

Still, AAA Carolinas urged drivers to be cautious on the roads Monday afternoon because the forecast said winds could reach 60 mph. “You need to be careful when gusts reach that level because it’s going to affect your vehicle,” spokeswoman Tiffany Wright said.

More than 100 roads in the Lowcountry are blocked by floods and fallen trees, state trensportation officials say. For a list, go to dbw.scdot.org/RoadConditionsirma

This story was originally published September 11, 2017 at 8:35 AM with the headline "How Hurricane Irma is affecting flights at Columbia airport."