LAX Flights Cancelled Today Due To Hurricane Dorian, Disneyland Closed Down

Hurricane Dorian, a category 3 howler that laid waste to The Bahamas on Monday, is now moving at a walking pace towards the east coast of the United States and threatens to deluge Florida and states further north as it trudges along.

Its slow-motion pace, nevertheless, belies its powerful winds that affected thousands of flights across the United States, especially in Florida, and as far away as Los Angeles, California.

As of 6:00 p.m. EDT (22:00 UTC) Sept. 3, Dorian was located within 200 km (125 miles) east of Melbourne, Florida. It packs maximum sustained winds of 175 km/h (110 mph) with gusts reaching 215 km/h (130 mph).

Dorian is moving northwest at 9 km/h as it approaches the Florida coast, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). It’s expected to approach the Florida coast late Tuesday.

Dorian’s projected track as estimated by the NHC shows most of the Florida coast just outside the cone of potential landfall. NHC said no place in Florida had more than an 8% chance of getting hit by hurricane-force winds, a pretty small number.

On Tuesday, Dorian was downgraded to a Category 3 storm but is expected to trod up the east coast from Florida to North Carolina. NHC expects the hurricane to pick-up speed on Wednesday and Thursday.

The airline industry isn’t taking any chances, however. Airline industry sources said 1,200 flights across the country (including those in Southern California) were delayed and canceled Tuesday as Dorian moved away from badly battered Bahamas and sets a plodding course for Florida.

More than 600 flights to and from Orlando, Florida were also canceled as Dorian inflicted mind-numbing and catastrophic damage on the Bahamas. Bahamanians said raging floodwaters reached the second floors of buildings and trapped people in attics.

At least seven people have been killed but this toll is expected to rise significantly as reports come in from across the mangled chain of islands off Florida’s east coast.

There were 14 flights scheduled to arrive at LAX from Fort Lauderdale and Orlando that were canceled Tuesday. Also canceled were 11 flights departing LAX for Florida. Disney World, Legoland and other Orlando tourist attractions were shut down as Dorian approaches Florida.

On Monday, two American Airlines and one Delta flight to Orlando International Airport were canceled. Also canceled were four Jet Blue flights, and one flight each via Alaska Airlines and Spirit Airlines.

Three flights were canceled at Los Angeles International Airport compared to seven flights on Labor Day. Several other large airports announced closings, while hundreds of flights were canceled.

Some airlines such as American Airlines, United and Southwest are offering travelers affected by the hurricane’s cancellations and delays the option to change their flights or receive refunded tickets.