Written by Rich McKay
(Reuters) – Severe weather disrupted holiday travel on Saturday across the United States with deadly tornadoes in the Southeast and heavy snow and winds on the West Coast, delaying or canceling thousands of flights across the country.
More than 7,000 flights were delayed in the United States on Saturday, according to tracking website FlightAware, and more than 200 flights were cancelled.
About a third of flights were delayed at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, according to FlightAware, and nearly half of flights arriving from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston were delayed.
At least 10 tornadoes touched down in the southeastern U.S. states of Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi on Saturday, killing one person near Houston, the National Weather Service and local law enforcement said.
“These numbers are likely to go up,” said meteorologist Aaron Gleason of the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center.
One death and four infections were reported Saturday in Brazoria County, Texas, about 45 miles south of Houston, according to the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office.
Officials say many homes and schools were severely damaged or destroyed. Pictures posted on social media show the scattered ruins of homes, downed trees, and electricity poles scattered on the streets and green lawns.
Meteorologists said that strong winds in the west, reaching speeds of up to 150 miles per hour at high altitudes in the Tahoe Basin in California and 50 miles per hour at low altitudes, will hit the region this weekend, and heavy rains are expected from San Francisco to Portland, State. Oregon.
Four to six inches of rain are expected before New Year's Eve and up to three feet of snow are expected at Lake Tahoe, forecasters said.
The Meteorological Service warned that “damaging winds could destroy trees and power lines.” “Widespread power outages are likely.”
