{"id":129408,"date":"2026-01-23T17:52:15","date_gmt":"2026-01-23T17:52:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/129408\/"},"modified":"2026-01-23T17:52:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T17:52:15","slug":"travelers-at-mia-fll-brace-for-potential-delays-cancellations-as-winter-storm-brews-through-us-wsvn-7news-miami-news-weather-sports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/129408\/","title":{"rendered":"Travelers at MIA, FLL brace for potential delays, cancellations as winter storm brews through US – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports"},"content":{"rendered":"

MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FLA. (WSVN) – As an extreme winter storm<\/a> is set to hit nearly half of the United States, travelers passing through South Florida airports expressed concerns about potential flight delays and cancellations.<\/p>\n

7News cameras on Thursday captured a busy line at the various security checkpoints at Miami International Airport, as travelers hope to beat the storm that forecasters said could be the most crippling one some areas have seen in years.<\/p>\n

Late Thursday night, Delta Air Lines canceled flights across five states.<\/p>\n

Friday morning, MIA reported 28 canceled flights for Saturday, and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport reported 14. Those numbers are expected to increase as the day goes on.<\/p>\n

At MIA, traveler Ja\u2019Kenya Bershell is scheduled to fly through Atlanta\u2019s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was supposed to be at 9 tonight, so I moved it up, so I wouldn\u2019t be impacted by the storm,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

It was a similar situation for traveler Paola Tucunduva.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are going to ski in Colorado, but our flght stopped by Dallas, and it was supposed to be tomorrow. Unfortunately, it was canceled because of the storm, and we could rearrange for this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was a quiet Friday morning at both MIA, FLL, reflecting the calm before the storm. Cameras captured small lines as travelers tried to make it out before the inclement weather leads to mass cancellations and delays this weekend.<\/p>\n

While the storm is not expected to impact South Florida, it will stretch about 1,500 miles, from south to northeast, potentially bringing dangerous ice and feet of snow to tens of millions of people over the weekend.<\/p>\n

At least 182 million people across 45 states are under alert. <\/p>\n

Officials have already declared emergencies across the Carolinas.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t ever wait until the last minute, \u2019cause supplies run out,\u201d said Tom Marks, a manager at Cantelmi Hardware in Charlotte, North Carolina.<\/p>\n

Forecasters said this could be \u201cone of the most historic ice storms in modern history,\u201d with the potential for 12 straight hours of freezing rain, which could weigh down trees and cause widespread power outages.<\/p>\n

Heavy snow, including up to a foot in some areas, is expected north of the storm\u2019s freezing rain zone. Areas like New York City may receive its biggest snow total the city has seen in four years. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhere I\u2019m going to, we\u2019re supposed to get freezing rain and sleet,\u201d said Bershell, \u201cso I\u2019m just hoping that it\u2019s not as bad as it was a few years ago, when the lights went out, and we were without power for about a week.\u201d<\/p>\n

The arctic blast will also bring bone-chilling cold, potentially breaking daily high and low cold temperature records. One forecast has some areas with wind chills as low as negative 50. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s getting pretty desperate out there. I guess everybody\u2019s running out of stuff,\u201d said Marks.<\/p>\n

Another concern for many drivers: Ice is expected to hit southern states, making roads treacherous and power outages longer.<\/p>\n

In Maryland, a \u201csalt dome\u201d has formed as crews will spread it across roads to prevent the sheet of ice that is expected to build in the coming days. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe have about 70,000 tons of salt ready to go and our 275 plows with more equipment on standby. We\u2019ve already started salt brining the roads all day today,\u201d said Emily DeTitta with the Montgomery County Transportation Department. <\/p>\n

In Texas, some residents are racing to buy portable generators to stay warm, hoping to avoid a repeat of the storm that left millions without power for days back in 2021. But officials are confident that the deep freeze won\u2019t wreak havoc on the power grid. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe are not anticipating any reliability concerns on the statewide electric grid,\u201d said Pablo Vegas, CEO of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve made a significant amount of investment in additional generators at park and recreational facilities and in our civilian staff that can respond to any individuals that are affected by power outage,\u201d said Kevin Oden with the Dallas Department of Emergency Management.<\/p>\n

The anticipated snow and ice are threatening to bring air travel to a halt in many areas. Thousands of flights nationwide are expected to be impacted over the course of this weekend.<\/p>\n

Airports are getting ready, including ATL, one of the world\u2019s busiest.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur snow team, we\u2019re doing a lot of preparation,\u201d said ATL General Manager Ricky Smith.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe main actions to take now are to prepare your family, prepare your home, and prepare your car,\u201d said Georgia Emergency Management Director Josh Lamb. <\/p>\n

United, Delta, American and Southwest airlines all released travel advisories. They\u2019re offering options for customers to change plans if they were scheduled to travel over the next few days, even waiving re-booking fees or providing flight credits.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was a big surprise and nice to know, because they sent a message, you know, almost two days before out flght that they were canceling in advance,\u201d said Tucunduva. \u201cIt was pretty easy to change our flight with no cost on the internet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not everyone is nervous about the winter storm or the flights.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re headed to Park City,\u201d said MIA traveler Jerry Rodriguez. \u201cThe kids will see snow for the first time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Travelers are urged to check with their airline before heading to the airport and to arrive with plenty of time. <\/p>\n

The storm is expected to exit the U.S. through New England on Monday night.<\/p>\n

Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.<\/p>\n

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