by Donald Wood
Last updated: 9:05 AM ET, Wed November 15, 2023
With AAA projecting that 55.4 million Americans will travel
50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving
holiday this year, the attention has turned to how the weather will impact journeys
across the United States.
According to Weather.com,
people planning on hitting the road or taking to the skies on the weekend
before Thanksgiving—Saturday, November 18 and Sunday, November 19—are likely to
avoid the worst of the holiday weather.
In the Northeast and parts of the West, travelers will experience
some rain and breezy conditions, while Americans heading to higher elevations
could experience some snow. Spotty showers are likely over parts of the central
and southern Plains.
As more travelers head out early next week to visit family
and friends, weather conditions in California and the East Coast are expected
to clear up, with a rain-free forecast across the Great Lakes, Southeast and
most of the Plains.
By the time Tuesday night and Wednesday arrive, a large
storm is expected to form over the central and eastern U.S., including major
travel hubs like Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Detroit, New York City, Philadelphia
and more.
If the fall storms are more severe than expected,
Thanksgiving travelers could experience flight delays and cancellations,
impacting travel across the country. Wintry weather could also affect the
Northwest and central U.S. in the days before the holiday.
While conditions look less-than-favorable leading up to the
fall holiday, the weather seems clear for Black Friday and throughout the
post-Thanksgiving weekend. The Great Lakes and Northeast could experience
sporadic rain or snow showers later in the weekend, but most people heading
home should have clear skies.
In total, AAA Travel believes 49.1 million Americans will
drive to their destinations for the fall holiday, while another 4.7
million will fly and 1.55 million will make the journey via cruise, bus, or
train.
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