Thunderstorms delay flights at Miami Airport, interrupt music festivals and disrupt tennis tournaments

MIAMI (AP) — Severe thunderstorms in South Florida delayed departures from Miami International Airport during the busy spring break season, disrupted a popular electronic music festival and halted play at a high-profile tennis tournament.

Thunderstorms that swept across South Florida Friday night delayed departures at Miami International Airport for several hours Saturday, according to the National Airspace System Status. The airport experienced record traffic this season during spring break, averaging 170,000 passengers per day this month.

“Adverse weather conditions may impact operations on March 23,” the airport tweeted. “If you are traveling, please contact your airline for the latest flight information.”

At the Ultra Music Festival in a park in downtown Miami, which was expected to attract 55,000 visitors over three days, organizers ended the music early Friday evening due to lightning and strong winds.

“For your safety, Ultra Friday will be temporarily closed,” organizers posted on social media on Friday evening. “Please leave the park now.”

Rain and strong winds on Friday delayed the start of the day’s tennis matches at the Miami Open by six hours and canceled the rest of the scheduled play in the early evening. The weather disrupted the schedule, forcing some of the matches postponed on Friday to be played on Saturday.

The Associated Press