Cancelled flights and bad weather mark the celebration of July 4
The July 4th weekend is shaping up as one of the largest and most-delayed
The beginning of the long weekend of Independence Day celebrations in the United States has been affected by the situation of canceled flights, delayed flights and adverse weather conditions.
The shortage of air traffic controllers and the persistent smoke from forest fires in Canada have contributed to this situation.
In addition, high temperatures and rains are predicted in various regions of the country.
Cancelled and delayed flights
According to FlightAware data, as of Friday afternoon, 1,243 flights had been canceled and 28,518 delays were recorded at airports in the United States. This situation has generated inconveniences in air transport, one of the causes being the shortage of air traffic controllers, with about 1,200 fewer than 10 years ago.
Adverse weather conditions
The persistent smoke from forest fires in Canada has affected visibility and covered the sky in much of the northeastern United States, from the Great Lakes to Virginia. This situation has worsened the conditions for travel and outdoor activities.
Forecast of high temperatures and rain
The National Weather Service (NWS) has warned about exceptionally high temperatures in various parts of the country. Phoenix (Arizona) could reach 46 degrees Celsius (115 degrees Fahrenheit), Memphis (Tennessee) 39 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit) and Dallas (Texas) 40 degrees Celsius (103 degrees Fahrenheit). Likewise, sporadic rains are predicted in a large region, from Nebraska in the west to Louisiana in the south and Maine in the northeast, with more intense rainfall in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Road precautions and increased land travel
The American Automobile Club (AAA) estimates that more than 50 million people will travel by land over distances of more than 80 kilometers during this long weekend, which represents an unprecedented figure.