Foul weather could hamper Thanksgiving travel across the U.S.
Active weather could lead to headaches across the U.S. this week as millions of travellers hop flights and hit the road for the Thanksgiving holiday
We’re coming up on the busiest travel week of the year for folks south of the border as Americans celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday.
More than 2.5 million people passed through airport security checkpoints each day around Thanksgiving in 2023, and the number could be even higher this year.
Several systems trekking across the United States could spell trouble for travellers hoping for smooth sailing through the holiday weekend. Here’s a look at what you can expect this week if you’re heading out.
DON'T MISS: Six annoying ways weather forces airlines to cancel your flight
Wednesday: Snow at a major hub
An ill-timed system crossing the Rocky Mountains could cause major delays in Denver, Colorado, on Wednesday—just in time for the travel crunch ahead of the holiday on Thursday.
Accumulating snow is likely across much of eastern Colorado overnight Tuesday and into the day Wednesday. If the forecast holds, it's likely that reduced visibility, aircraft deicing, and snow removal on runways will hamper operations at Denver International Airport.
Any delays in Denver can have a significant trickle-down effect to other airports around the country. Denver is a major hub for connecting flights to and from the western U.S.; it’s one of the busiest airports in the world, hosting more than 77 million passengers every year.
Aside from a touch of gloomy rain in California—as well as some rain and snow in Nevada and Utah—conditions are looking just fine for folks travelling through the rest of the country on Wednesday.
Thursday/Friday: Rain builds along the East Coast
Thursday will see the weather go downhill in a hurry back east, though, as the same trough responsible for flooding Canada with Arctic air begins to churn up the atmosphere down south.
A low-pressure system is expected to develop in the Tennessee Valley as a cold front plows into the eastern portion of the U.S. on Thanksgiving Day.
Heading out? Be sure to check the radar before you leave!
Widespread rain and gusty winds are expected up and down the eastern seaboard as this system develops and pushes east through the day. These foul conditions will likely cause delays for flights connecting through Atlanta—the world’s busiest airport—as well as major hubs including Charlotte, Washington, Philadelphia, and New York.
The rain will also make for slow travel along vast stretches of Interstate 95, Interstate 40, and Interstate 85.
Weekend: Headaches possible around the Great Lakes
Things are looking much better across most of the U.S. heading into the second half of the long holiday weekend.
A clipper system diving through the Midwest on Saturday and Sunday could bring a touch of light snow to places like Minneapolis and Chicago, but it shouldn’t cause too many issues on its own.
RELATED: Why the Great Lakes produce some of the world’s heaviest snow
We will have to watch communities around the Great Lakes as the lake-effect snow machine ramps up this weekend. Water temperatures remain toasty across the five lakes—throw in bitterly cold temperatures and we have the perfect recipe for ample lake-effect snow.
Folks flying through or driving around Detroit, Cleveland, Erie, and Buffalo may have to contend with potent bands of snow blowing off the lakes at times this weekend. Stay tuned for more details on this threat as we head through the week.
