Storms strands hundreds at Hartsfield

Metro Atlanta

Atlanta experienced close to 700 weather-related flight delays and cancellations Sunday. On Monday, the impact was still felt.

Airline travel was in recovery mode Monday, a day after heavy storms dumped record rainfall and caused hundreds of flight delays and cancellations in Atlanta. People lined up at the outdoor check-in counters.

Flight delays in Atlanta averaged 2.5 hours during the storm, according airport spokesman DeAllous Smith.

In good weather, the airport sees 120 flights per hour, but at one point Sunday, the rate was down to 78 per hour. Flights were also diverted to other airports when they couldn't land in Atlanta.

Kunal Kanani (left) from Athens, Ga. was on his way to Tampa while Ronald Rush (right) of Atlanta was on his way to Houston as they walked by long lines to get to their ticketing area.

Zamba Villa, 14, of Atlanta is on his way to New York but may stand in line longer than it takes to get there as he waits in line at the Check Point Main Entrance.

The storm dumped 2.1 inches of rain on the metro area, a record for July 13, according to the National Weather Service. Forecaster Kent McMullen blamed the severe weather on a tropical air mass and a cold front that moved through the state. To deal with the delays Monday, some napped p while others read inside the Atlanta airport's atrium.

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Airline travel was in recovery mode Monday, a day after heavy storms dumped record rainfall and caused hundreds of flight delays and cancellations in Atlanta. People lined up at the outdoor check-in counters.

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