Snow, Rain and Bitter cold are Predicted for Thanksgiving as Millions Travel

Thanksgiving holiday weekend, one of the busiest travel times of the year, is expected to be plagued by a cross-country storm, Arctic air, and showers and thunderstorms.

In addition to blasting the Sierra Nevada with snow, the storm is expected to dump several more inches in the Colorado Rocky Mountains on Wednesday and track into the Midwest and Northeast through Thanksgiving.

Snow plow crews plowed major thoroughfares across Colorado while road closures remained in place. F.A.A. said it was spraying deicing fluid on flights departing Denver and Salt Lake City International.

Several cities along the I-95 corridor are expected to be soaked with showers and thunderstorms late Wednesday and on Thanksgiving Day, according to AccuWeather. Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas are also expected to get wet.

With multiple feet of snow forecast, communities throughout the Great Lakes region could experience whiteout conditions.

Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and western New York state are likely to experience 2 to 3 inches of snow a day. Visibility may drop to zero in the heaviest bands, creating a safety hazard.

Delays at Denver International Airport decreased after the storm moved east, but increased at Newark Liberty. Air traffic controller shortage at the airport caused 71 delayed flights as of 7 p.m. EDT. Among all cities, Denver had 48.

Storms are breaking out across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions, which will hinder the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

It’s expected to rain steadily and soaking through the parade, with temperatures in the 40s, according to an AccuWeather Meteorologist.

There won’t be too much wind for balloons, since it’s mostly under 20 mph. Balloons can be grounded by wind gusts over 34 mph.”

Star-studded performances are a hallmark of the event, which began in 1924. More than 2 million people attend in-person, while over 50 million watch online.

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Snow continued to fall across Colorado Wednesday morning, disrupting Thanksgiving travel across the state.

Numerous roads were affected, including Highway 50, which was closed for snow removal operations. In Colorado, Route 50 links West Sacramento, California, with Ocean City, Maryland.

Transport officials said Tuesday they suspended resurfacing work on U.S. Highway 34 and U.S. Highway 36 to improve sidewalks and retaining walls.

During winter weather, this pause ensures the safety of both travelers and workers. “Work will resume in spring 2025.”

Read Also: Upstate New York has been placed under a winter storm watch

Throughout the Midwest and Northeast over the holiday weekend, winter storm watches warned of heavy lake-effect snow.

Cleveland and Maine weather officials expect more than 7 inches of snow by Tuesday. Wind gusts of more than 30 miles per hour were forecast by the Buffalo National Weather Service.

Arctic blast brings low temperatures across the northern Plains, Midwest, and eastern U.S.

The Dakotas and Minnesota could experience subzero temperatures ahead of Thanksgiving, and the Dallas and Atlanta area may also see some freezing temperatures. Temperatures could drop to single digits on Friday morning.

Paul Pastelok, AccuWeather meteorologist, said the cold blast would feel like January to thousands of millions who have become accustomed to warmer weather.

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AAA says 79.9 million people will travel 50 miles or more from their homes for Thanksgiving—more than 2 million more than last year and 1.7 million more than 2019.

AAA Travel’s Stacey Barber expects “new records across the board” this year.

From Tuesday to Dec. 2, the Transportation Security Administration anticipates screening 18.3 million people, the busiest Thanksgiving travel period on record.

David Pekoske, TSA Administrator, said the 10 busiest days in TSA history have occurred in 2024.

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