DFW Airport has notified the City of Southlake about a runway closure and upcoming weather forecast that could affect air traffic in the Southlake vicinity. 

About Upcoming Weather: 

The DFW anticipates the use of Runway 31L for departures during periods of north winds, though they would likely occur during the day and evening, primarily during departure hours. Cities west of DFW Airport may experience and increase in air traffic during this time. 

What to Expect From the Weather: 

Winds are forecast to shift to the north on Saturday afternoon, June 6 and remain northerly through Tuesday, June 9. The shift could happen sooner depending on the winds aloft. There is a possibility of north winds on Wednesday and Thursday, June 10 and June 11. The path of Tropical Storm Cristobal to our east is expected to be the driver of these winds mid-week. 

About the Runway 18R/36L Project: 

DFW plans to rehabilitate runway 18R/36L, the primary west side arrival runway, beginning June 1, 2020 until early March 2021. Afterwards, nightly closures are estimated to occur through May 2021.  

The runway project includes reconstruction, drainage improvements, new electrical infrastructure and LED conversion, navigational aid adjustments and aircraft rescue and firefighting road realignment. 

The closure will require some traffic to shift to other runways. The project has been accelerated 78 days ahead of its planned schedule to take advantage of the reduced operation levels from COVID-19. 

What to Expect During the Project Timeframe: 

Cities east and west of the DFW airport could experience an increase in air traffic due to Runway 18R/36L being closed and air traffic diverted to runways on the east and west sides of the airport. The runway closure will shift 13R/31L to a primary arrival and departure runway. Traffic on Runway 17L/35R will also increase. Departures and arrivals on Runway 18L/36R may increase or decrease depending on flow. 

As a reminder, aircraft take off and land into the wind. Therefore, the direction of operations is primarily based on winds. Keep in mind that surface winds don’t always dictate flow as winds above the surface and/or operational needs can affect the direction for which aircraft take off and land. 

Citizens with inquiries or comments should contact DFW Airport by email at dfwnoise@dfwairport.com, or on the Noise Complaint Hotline at 972-973-3192 (staffed 24/7). Follow-up response calls or emails will be provided when requested. DFW launched a website, NoiseLab, that allows the public to view near-live flight operations, historical operations, news and statistics. 

We appreciate your patience during this time. DFW staff are always happy to discuss Airport operations and impacts to your city in greater detail if you desire. Please don’t hesitate to contact the Airport for more information.