The weatherman is the Grinch

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

Thanks so much, Kathryn.

Yeah, I know Atlanta can be pretty bad. I've had to wait an hour for a connection there myself. I think it's better than the alternative, though -- I think Minneapolis is going to be hit pretty hard.

My wife is flying out in the early afternoon, has a lengthy layover in Atlanta, then has an early evening flight to Seattle. As I recall, Christmas Eve is usually a fairly light travel day -- most folks head out on the 22nd or 23rd. The whole winter storm issue might throw that out of whack though. Who knows. Fingers are crossed, and we'll take you up on your offer if we need to, Kathryn, I promise...and THANK YOU so much FOR the offer!

[CdnMN 0]

Woo hoo!!

My wife was able to switch to a flight that has a layover in Atlanta instead. No snow in the forecast there!

Thanks CdnMN...and thanks NWA! Makes me a very happy camper indeed!

Wyatt, I'm so glad to hear she was able to reschedule. All the best!

Cdnmn

[minnew 4]

Just connecting to a flight to Omaha

Good thing your niece got to Omaha when she did! Another storm coming this way! Snow, freezng rain, sleet, could be a mess!

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

Wyatt, I'm so glad to hear she was able to reschedule. All the best!

Cdnmn

Yeah, me too! Thanks a ton for making me aware of the NWA waiver. A series of fortunate events there!

And Kathryn? I just got off the phone with my wife, and she wants to make sure I convey HER thanks for your offer too. It really is very kind of you. Here's hoping we don't have to use it!

[Kathryn41 3,205]

I'm hoping she won't have to take us up on our offer either - not because we wouldn't be very happy to welcome her here, but because it means she doesn't need it and her connecting flight has taken off as scheduled .

Here is a link to Hartsfield Jackson Airport - you can check flight arrival/departure times and delays/weather, etc.: http://www.atlanta-airport.com/

You can also register to 'track a flight' and they will send email updates to you on the status of the flight, so you may wish to sign up for that: http://www.atlanta-airport.com/flights/

and here is the link to delayed flights information: http://www.flightstats.com/go/Airport/dela...Date=2006-11-03

Here is the weather forecast for the Southeast for around her flight times:

Heavy rain and thunderstorms move into the southern Plains, eastern Texas, and the lower Mississippi Valley later today and continue through Wednesday.

Some of the thunderstorms could turn severe Wednesday afternoon and evening across eastern sections of Oklahoma and Texas and move into Arkansas and Louisiana.

The strongest storms contain damaging wind gusts, some hail, and isolated tornadoes.

Rainfall of 1 to 3 inches is possible in the same areas.

Wednesday night and Thursday morning the rain area should not move much producing another round of heavy rain with embedded strong thunderstorms.

Later Thursday and Thursday night the system finally gets a kick eastward moving through the Tennessee Valley and into the Southeast.

Any stronger thunderstorms should be confined to the Gulf coast from eastern Louisiana east through western Florida.

It now appears that temperatures across the western piedmont of North and South Carolina should be above freezing, so no icing is expected there, however, overnight there could be some patchy icing in far northwest North Carolina.

Christmas day the system continues to slide through the Southeast and Florida with rain and thunderstorms.

Behind the storm it turns colder and breezy with clearing skies.

Edited December 23, 2009 by Kathryn41

[Hugglebuggles 60]

This is the first Christmas I won't be traveling anywhere in a few years and it looks like I picked a good year to stay home. Its pretty crazy that snow is effecting so much of the country this close to Christmas! Flying would suck, but in a way its kinda nice that so many of us are going to experience a snowy white Christmas

Good luck to everyone trying to make it to their loved ones in time!

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

I'm quite happy with a green Christmas, thank you very much!

[Hugglebuggles 60]

The snow worked in our favor this year! A Christmas Eve snow day It's pretty awesome!

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

I'm going to do my absolute best not to gloat over the fact that the flight my wife HAD been booked on was canceled, while her CHANGED flight has already arrived in Atlanta...ahead of schedule. And her connection is looking like it will be on time too.

This is going to be a hard one not to grouse about, I assure you.

[trailmix 77]

That's great that she is on her way, I hope you two have a lovely Christmas/holiday together

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

That's great that she is on her way, I hope you two have a lovely Christmas/holiday together

Thanks! I keep refreshing flight status every five minutes or so, just making sure that her Atlanta - Seattle flight remains on time.

I'm just so happy that CdnMN mentioned the NWA waiver. We might have decided to just chance it with the Minneapolis layover if that waiver hadn't been made available. And that clearly would have been disastrous. I feel sorry for anyone in that area whose loved ones are affected.