JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville International Airport announced it will close following its last departure around 8 p.m. Tuesday ahead of the rare winter storm that is set to impact North Florida and southern Georgia on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.
Officials said the airport is anticipated to reopen on Wednesday at noon and encouraged travelers to check flight status with their airlines for the most up-to-date information about their itineraries and for rebooking options.
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The storm is expected to scatter heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain around the Deep South as a blast of Arctic air plunges much of the eastern U.S. into a deep freeze.
Locally, freezing rain is expected to begin in Southeast Georgia on Tuesday afternoon before shifting south into Northeast Florida after midnight Tuesday and lingering into the mid-morning Wednesday.
The greatest threat is ice forming Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.
The ice will create hazardous travel conditions on the roads from western Jacksonville and points north and west.
But what about those who have flights booked?
About 2,300 flights within the U.S. or entering or leaving the country were canceled Tuesday with about 15,800 more flights delayed, according to online tracker FlightAware.com.
According to officials at Jacksonville International Airport (JAX), the biggest impact for flights will be early Wednesday morning.
Officials said fuelers at the airport have the ability to de-ice aircraft if necessary. But accumulated ice on the airfield will have to melt for normal operations to resume because the airport does not have snow removal vehicles.