
Americans are gearing up for the busiest travel time of the year as Thanksgiving Day approaches. Nearly 82 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles for Thanksgiving this year, an increase of 2% from last year’s record of 80.2 million, according to AAA’s projections.
Most of those Americans, 73.3 million, will travel to their Thanksgiving destination by car, while 6 million are expected to travel by plane. To help travelers keep an eye on any logistics, here’s what meteorologists are forecasting weather-wise.
While AAA expects Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon before Thanksgiving Day will be the busiest on the road, for any “early bird” travelers looking to get ahead of that traffic, here’s what the forecast will look like starting with this weekend.
Early Thanksgiving travel this weekend
Friday
This Friday is “potentially the worst” day for early Thanksgiving travel, according to the Weather Channel.
The Gulf Coast could experience some potential storms, while the Mississippi and Ohio valleys, as well as the Central Plains, could see heavy rainfall. The central Rockies could also see some lingering snow.
In the Northeast, inland New England and high elevations of the Green Mountains and White Mountains could get some wintry precipitation. Slippery, icy conditions could disrupt travel on some highways, as it’s not quite cold enough for snow.
For the West Coast, a storm system that’s pushing onshore from this week will bring rain and mountain snow to the Southwest.
The following airport hubs may be impacted this Friday due to weather, according to the Weather Channel: Atlanta, New York, Boston, Washington, Dallas, Los Angeles and Seattle.
Saturday
While there’s overall less precipitation forecast across the country, rain will still impact parts of the United States from eastern Texas up to Delaware, according to the Weather Channel. The southern Appalachian Mountains, near Tennessee and the Carolinas, could experience the heaviest rainfall, which could affect travel.
The weather starts to quiet down on the West Coast, with some lingering showers.
Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston and Seattle airports could be impacted, the Weather Channel reports.
Sunday
The Southern Rockies could see some rain and mountain snow, while light rain is possible across the southern Plains and Tennessee Valley. The Pacific Northwest could experience rain and mountain snow.
Week of Thanksgiving forecast
AccuWeather’s senior meteorologist Chad Merrill provided Yahoo with a national weather outlook for the week of Thanksgiving.
Western U.S.
Early in the week, cold air will push from the Northwest into the Rockies and bring snow and gusty winds.
By the end of the week, temperatures could drop by up to 20 degrees below average in the northern Rockies.
Thanksgiving Day could bring a “weak Santa Ana wind event” for Southern California, but the wildfire risk is low thanks to the recent rainfall, Merrill said.
Central U.S.
The Plains to the Midwest is forecast to experience rain and potential thunderstorms from early to midweek. This will be followed by strong winds and blustery weather.
Around Thanksgiving Day, temperatures will nose-dive in the entire region all the way down to the Texas Gulf Coast.
For the second half of the week, travelers heading home could experience issues north of I-70 because of snow and blowing snow, Merrill cautions.
Eastern U.S.
Early in the week in the Northeast, a cold front will bring breezy winds along with rain and snow showers.
Another storm is expected to arrive around Thanksgiving Day, bringing some rain to the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, while the Northeast could see some snow showers.
By the end of Thanksgiving weekend, expect rain and much colder temperatures, while the snow belts are expected to experience breezy winds and lake-effect snow.
LATEST POSTS
- 1
Lucrative Positions in the Advancing Position Market of 202405.06.2024 - 2
What to know about the hepatitis B shot — and why Trump officials are targeting it03.12.2025 - 3
Instructions to Pick the Best Album Rates for Your Investment funds19.10.2023 - 4
Winter storm warnings issued across Northeast as up to 9 inches of snow forecast; deadly atmospheric river in California snarls travel26.12.2025 - 5
Instructions to Help a Friend or family member Determined to have Cellular breakdown in the lungs17.10.2023
Remote Work Survival manual: Helping Efficiency at Home
Why don’t humans have hair all over their bodies? A biologist explains our lack of fur
What to know about King Charles III's cancer treatment and his message to the public
Illumina unveils dataset to speed up AI-powered drug discovery
Shah Capital pushes for Novavax sale, warns of proxy fight
The most effective method to Begin Your Excursion in Gold Venture
Stop the ‘good’ vs ‘bad’ snap judgments and watch your world become more interesting
Why Cannes Is the Ultimate New Year’s Eve Destination in the South of France’s Off-Season
Alice Wong, founder of the Disability Visibility Project, dies at 51













