Your Thanksgiving Travel Forecast is Here

Posted: November 18, 2022 11:17 pm

Mixed Bag of Weather for the U.S. Over Thanksgiving Week

According to AAA, over 54 million Americans are set to hit the road this Thanksgiving holiday. Should these predictions come to fruition, it will make it the busiest travel period during the month of November since the pandemic began. What kind of weather will you see if you plan on traveling by air or via the road? Read on for the long-range forecast for Thanksgiving week.

Wednesday Shaping Up to be Worst Travel Day of Holiday Week

Although the day before Thanksgiving has historically been the busiest travel day around Thanksgiving, Tuesday has picked up ground in recent years. More people enjoying flexible working schedules has translated to Tuesday starting to overtake Wednesday as the most popular day to travel for the holiday. As a result, you will find better flight deals and less congestion on the roads if you avoid these days.

When it comes to travel for this year’s holiday, Wednesday looks to be the worst day all around for potential weather delays. The inclement conditions will most likely be centered in the western U.S, including the major cities of Denver, Salt Lake City, and Seattle. The conditions are likely to be windy and wet throughout much of the Pacific Northwest and Northern California.

It will be snow causing the travel headaches moving farther into the Intermountain West.  Motorists hoping to use some of the major mountain passes may face delays. For example, Donner Pass in California may be forced to close due to heavy snow in the forecast.

The good news is that not all of the West Coast will be dealing with potential travel headaches. Much nicer weather is in the forecast for places such as Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Phoenix.

Moving to the east, it will be cold but dry in cities such as New York City, Chicago, and Boston. You will want to bundle up, however, most people along the East Coast will not be dealing with messy precipitation.

Wednesday is also forecast to deliver a cold front moving through the central U.S. that clashes with the warmer air coming up from the Gulf of Mexico. This merger will provide the fuel for thunderstorms to develop over the southern Plains and across the Mississippi Valley. These storms could delay travel in the air and on the roads.

Keep in mind that flight delays and cancellations often trigger a domino effect. This means that even if your area is not experiencing inclement conditions, the impacts could disrupt travel throughout the nation.

Thursday’s Forecast

While most Americans will be settled at their destination for the holiday by Thursday, the weather could be an influencing factor for a number of parades, turkey trots, and family flag football games. Several storm systems packed full of rain and snow will take aim at the U.S. on Thanksgiving.

A wide swath of rain and thunderstorms will likely impact the Gulf Coast into the Great Lakes. The northern edge of this storm system will bring the threat of snow.

Parts of Northern and Central California, up through the Pacific Northwest, and over into the northern Rockies will also be under the gun for a mass of rain and snow. Be sure to check the road contains if your plans take you over some of the area’s mountain passes.

Football fans will be happy to know that all three NFL games scheduled for Thanksgiving are being played in stadiums with a roof. Although this will mean no delays for the game, tailgaters may be in for rain in Dallas or snow in Detroit.

Black Friday Forecast

Heading out for some Black Friday deals? The eastern edge of the U.S. may see scattered storms as shoppers head out to the malls. This weather could also complicate the situation for travelers heading back home.

Dry conditions will be the norm across the bulk of the western and central U.S. However, those in the Pacific Northwest will want to be on the lookout for another storm coming on shore from the ocean over the weekend. Be sure to check back as the holiday gets closer for a more detailed forecast.

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