Sunday, November 22, 2015

Thanksgiving 2015 Travel Forecast: Snow, Rain in the West and Mostly Calm in the East

November 22,2015
For the millions of travelers hitting the roads and airports for the Thanksgiving holiday week, weather conditions across the country will be divided between mostly calm in the East and active in the West.
With Winter Storm Bella now gone, quieter weather conditions will rule much of the East through Wednesday thanks to high pressure. Meanwhile, a southward dip in the jet stream will keep most of the rain and snow in the West before sliding into the nation's midsection by Thanksgiving Day.
(MORE: 10 Ways to Outsmart Thanksgiving Traffic)
Here's the forecast for each day.

Monday, Nov. 23

Possible travel trouble spots: Overall, the vast majority of the country will have good travel conditions. Scattered showers and mountain snow may move into the Pacific Northwest as a new weather system approaches. A few snow showers are possible across parts of northern Lower Michigan and Downeast Maine, where a few slick roads are possible.
Major airports impacts: Seattle and Portland (rain showers, but no major delays expected)
Major highways impacted: Interstate 5 in Washington and Oregon (showers); Interstate 95 in Maine (some wet snow)

Monday's Forecast

Tuesday, Nov. 24

Possible travel trouble spots: A new storm system will continue to push into the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies, bringing rain and snow to parts of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, western Montana, northern California and northern Nevada. This is a cold weather system, so snow is possible in lower elevations including parts of the Interstate 5 corridor. Elsewhere, a stray shower may dot portions of South Texas and a few snow showers may linger near Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.
Major airports impacted: Portland and Seattle (rain); San Francisco (wind, low clouds)
Major highways impacted: Interstate 5 from northern California to Washington (rain possibly mixed with snow or changing to snow); Interstate 80 over Donner Summit, California (lowering snow levels); Interstate 90 in Washington, northern Idaho and western Montana (snow or rain/snow mix); Interstate 84 in Oregon, Idaho (rain/snow showers possible).

Tuesday's Forecast

Wednesday, Nov. 25

Possible travel trouble spots: A cold southward dip in the jet stream continues to dive through the West. As a result, snow will fall in several states in the region – from California's Sierra Nevada and parts of Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. Some of this snow may reach North Dakota, South Dakota, western Nebraska and northern Minnesota late in the day. Strong winds in the northern Rockies and adjacent High Plains may produce areas of blowing and drifting snow. Ahead of that storm system, increasing moisture will result in scattered showers, drizzle and low clouds from Texas to parts of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, eastern Nebraska, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Major airports impacted: Salt Lake City (rain and snow possible); Dallas-Fort Worth, Oklahoma City (low clouds, dense fog possible); Des Moines, Minneapolis, Kansas City (uncertain, but low clouds, fog, drizzle possible)
Major highways impacted: Interstate 70 in parts of Utah (snow possible); Interstate 80 in parts of Wyoming, Utah, Nevada and California's Sierra Nevada (snow possible); Interstate 90 in Wyoming and Montana (snow possible); Interstate 15 from Utah to Montana (snow); Interstate 35 from Texas to Minnesota (patchy dense fog, a few showers)

Wednesday's Forecast

Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26

Possible travel trouble spots: The western storm system begins to push into the nation's midsection where a swath of rain and thunderstorms will expand from the Upper Midwest southwestward to the southern Plains. Snow is expected in the cold air behind the storm from central Minnesota and northern Wisconsin to South Dakota, western/central Nebraska, northwest Kansas, Wyoming and Colorado. Quiet weather conditions persist in much of the East.
Major airports impacted: Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Des Moines, Houston, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, St. Louis (low clouds, rain showers); Denver, Minneapolis (some snow possible)
Major highways impacted: Interstate 35 from Texas to Minnesota (rain/t-storms, possibly heavy rain, changing to snow in Minnesota); Interstate 94 in Illinois, Wisconsin and east Minnesota (rain, changing to snow in Minnesota); Interstate 80 in Illinois, Iowa and eastern Nebraska (rain, possibly heavy); Interstate 80 central Nebraska into Wyoming (snow/wind); Interstate 70 in Missouri and Kansas (rain, changing to snow in northwest Kansas); Interstate 40 in Arkansas and Oklahoma (rain showers); Interstate 20 and 10 in Texas (rain showers); Interstate 25 in Colorado, Wyoming (snow/wind).

Thanksgiving Day Forecast

"Black Friday", Nov. 27

Possible travel trouble spots: Rain with some embedded thunderstorms will soak parts of the southern Plains, lower to mid-Mississippi Valley, Ohio Valley and Great Lakes. Some light snow is possible from western Wisconsin to Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Quiet weather continues to persist along much of the East Coast, although showers will begin to develop in New England Friday night.
Major airports impacted: Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Detroit (low clouds, rain showers)
Major highways impacted: Interstate 44 from Oklahoma to Missouri (rain); Interstate 70 from Ohio to Missouri (rain); Interstate 80/90 from Ohio to Indiana (rain); Interstate 75 Tennessee to Michigan (rain); Interstate 40 from Oklahoma to Tennessee (rain/t-storms); Interstate 55 from Illinois to Arkansas (rain/t-storms)

Black Friday's Forecast

Saturday, Nov. 28

Possible travel trouble spots: Cold front moves through the East with showers, perhaps mixed with or changing to snow across the far interior of the Northeast and northern New England. Showers expected in much of the South. Some freezing rain, sleet or snow is possible in the southern Plains, including west Texas, eastern New Mexico and western Oklahoma as arctic air interacts with moisture in an easterly upslope flow behind a cold front.
Major aiports impacted: Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Dallas, Houston (showers possible with timing dependent on cold front speed, location); Oklahoma City (wintry mix possible)
Major highways impacted: Interstate 20 from Alabama to Texas (rain showers in most areas, possible icy conditions in west Texas); Interstate 40 from Tennesee to New Mexico (rain showers in most areas, possible icy conditions from central Oklahoma to the Texas panhandle and eastern New Mexico); Interstate 95 from Maine to Virginia (rain showers possible).

Saturday's Forecast

Sunday, Nov. 29

Possible travel trouble spots: Rain showers expected in portions of the South with some icy conditions still possible in western parts of Texas and Oklahoma. Mainly light snow forecast in the central Plains and Rockies. Good travel conditions appear likely in the Northeast, Great Lakes, Upper Midwest and along the West Coast.
Major airports impacted: Atlanta, Little Rock, Dallas, Houston (rain showers possible); Kansas City, Denver (light snow possible)
Major highways impacted: Interstate 20 from Georgia to Texas (rain showers in most areas, some icy conditions linger in west Texas); Interstate 10 from Louisiana to Texas (rain showers possible); Interstate 70 in Kansas and Colorado (rain and snow possible); Interstate 40 from Arkansas to Oklahoma (rain showers, changing to wintry mix in central Oklahoma).

Sunday's Forecast

PHOTOS: Vintage Thanksgiving Parades

No comments:

Post a Comment