CNN Meteorologist Jennifer Gray
Only two days until Thanksgiving—if you’re one of them 50 million people are now packing their bags for the road or flight — There may be some weather issues that disrupt your travel plans.
While much of the country will experience a quiet Thanksgiving week, much of the South will likely be affected On Thanksgiving, the entire East Coast could experience some severe weather as travelers return after Thanksgiving.
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where it will rain and snow on tuesday and wednesday
Getting to your Thanksgiving destination might be easier than going home — at least as far as the weather is concerned.
The only really troublesome place to start your vacation travel will be across the Pacific Northwest.
A cold front is moving across the region on Tuesday, bringing showers, alpine snow and strong winds. The rain will continue for most of the day and continue into Wednesday before the weather starts to dry out.
The system doesn’t anticipate heavy rain and airlines shouldn’t have a problem, but drivers should use it with caution.
The biggest problem road travelers face are mountain roads.
The National Weather Service in Seattle said it “has issued a winter weather forecast for the central and northern falls, expecting 6 to 12 inches of snow above 3,000 feet.”
Heavy snow is expected on Stevens Pass and driving could be dangerous.
Snow will also be pushed into Idaho, where it could get as much as 2 inches, with 5 inches at higher elevations.
Snow and rain should leave the area by Thanksgiving. That’s when a bigger storm will start to form in the south.
Check your holiday travel forecast here
A Thanksgiving Storm in the South
The storm system will begin developing over the southern Plains by Thanksgiving and draw moisture along the Gulf Coast.
While much of Thanksgiving will remain dry, rain will begin to fall and intensify in the afternoon over much of central and eastern Texas, as well as Louisiana, Arkansas and the lower Mississippi River Valley.
Cities including Dallas, Houston, Memphis, Tennessee, Shreveport, Louisiana and Little Rock, Arkansas are likely to start seeing rain as the day progresses.
“Are you thankful for the rain?” asked a Weather Service forecaster in Houston. “Because your willingness to answer that question could go a long way toward determining whether you enjoy your Thursday off.”
They are right. The forecast calls for rain for much of the South on Thanksgiving Day, with some areas in eastern Texas and central Louisiana seeing more than 2 inches of rain. Several thunderstorms are also possible along the Texas coast.
“Unfortunately, this may hinder some of your Thanksgiving picnic/cooking plans as this rain looks heavy at times,” Shreveport’s weather service said.
Not only could it be a wet afternoon for backyard football in many across the South, but rain and even rumbling thunder could affect the annual Dallas Cowboys game on Thanksgiving.
While rainy times can be bad, Nearly 70% of the south is in a state of drought, So rain is a thing to be thankful for.
On the western side of the system, snow could fall over parts of the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandle.
“A dynamic upper-level system is expected to bring impactful winter weather to the Plains beginning Thanksgiving and possibly continuing into Saturday morning,” Amarillo’s weather service said. “Snow, mixed precipitation and rain are all possible during this time, which could greatly affect any holiday-related travel.”
Some models suggest that the region could see up to a foot of snow between Thursday and Saturday.
Post-Thanksgiving storm could make travel difficult
The low pressure area that brought Thanksgiving rain to the south will move east for post-Thanksgiving travelers. Rainfall will expand on Friday, stretching from the Canadian border to the Gulf Coast.
Anywhere from New Orleans to Cleveland, Atlanta to Boston and even the surrounding areas of Buffalo 80 inches of snow being dug up There will be a chance of rain on Friday.
The rapid rain will leave the East Coast later on Friday, ahead of the main event.
Another area of low pressure will push toward the East Coast later in the weekend, which could pose some major travel issues.
The storm “will bring rapid moderate-to-heavy rainfall Saturday night/Sunday (intensity axis dependent on low orbit and rate of intensification) Saturday night/Sunday, in addition to wind gusts late Sunday into Monday,” said the Office of Weather Services New York City said.
Details are still being fine-tuned and uncertainty looms, but we could see heavy rain throughout the Northeast and New England for the second half of the weekend.
Some good news: With the exception of the possibility of some of the highest elevations in New England, no snow is forecast. But the cold rain is definitely enough to slow down your journey home.
Thanksgiving weather and Macy’s forecast
Much of the East will remain fairly mild on Thanksgiving Day, with temperatures in the 50s and 60s for much of the South, the Ohio Valley and the Mid-Atlantic.
Most of the Northeast will stay in the 40s and 50s.
New York City should see lows in the 30s on Thanksgiving, with highs in the mid-50s.considering the famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloons fly high.
Temperatures in the 40s and 50s will be in the 40s and 50s across most of the Plains and Midwest, except for the far north, where temperatures will hit the 30s.
The Rockies will be stuck in the 30s and 40s, and most of the West will be stuck in the 50s and 60s — and even some 70s.
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CNN meteorologist Monica Garrett contributed to this article
