Weekend Travel Outlook: Rain, Ice and Snow to Cause Hazards in Central US

By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist

November 26,2015; 11:27PM,EST

 

 

Travel hazards, delays and disruptions associated with rain, ice and snow will continue over the Central states through the rest of the Thanksgiving weekend.
Rain and snow will force motorists to slow down and will lead to airline delays over thousands of square miles from the Rockies to the Great Lakes and Mississippi Valley.
A major ice storm may not only make for dangerous travel in parts of the Plains but could also cut the power to tens of thousands of people.

Soggy Thanksgiving in the Central U.S.

The weather will have little impact on travel along the Atlantic Seaboard, Appalachians and Pacific coast for much of the long weekend.
JUMP TO: Rain to Test Travelers in Central US | Ice Storm Threatens to Cut Power in Southern Plains | Intermittent Rain to Dampen Part of East | West to Experience Fewest Travel Delays This Weekend
Snow will slow travel over portions of the interstates 25, 80 and 84 over the central Rockies into Friday.
During the rest of the holiday weekend, as snow diminishes over the Intermountain West, the most dangerous aspect of the storm for travelers will be associated with an icy mix over the central and southern Plains.

Before heading out to your favorite retailer this year, take a look at the AccuWeather MinuteCast® for a minute-by-minute forecast of precipitation type and intensity for your exact location.

Meanwhile, the most far-reaching effects will be associated with drenching rain from central Texas to the Midwest. From the lower part of the southern Plains to the middle Mississippi Valley, enough rain can fall to cause flash and urban flooding.

Heavy Rain to Test Travelers in Central US
During Friday, the rain will begin to shift eastward and southward across the Midwest, while continuing across Texas. Downpours will spread to Houston and San Antonio, Texas, to St. Louis, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Detroit.

During Friday, Saturday, Sunday and into Monday, rain will linger and raise the risk of flooding from central and southeastern Texas to much of Arkansas, southeastern Oklahoma, southeastern Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee and southern portions of Illinois, Indiana and Ohio.
Total rainfall in parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri could approach half of a foot in some locations.
RELATED:
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Relentless Rain to Raise Flooding Risk From Texas to Tennessee
Ice Storm Threatens to Cut Power in Southern Plains
On the northwest flank of the rain area, an ice storm will develop and could become serious for some communities and make for very dangerous travel this weekend.
The period of freezing rain and perhaps some sleet will be rather short-lived from central Kansas to Iowa. Icy conditions in this area will generally be limited to Thursday night.

The longest duration of freezing rain, sleet or mix thereof will extend from eastern New Mexico and northwestern Texas to part of central Kansas.
According to Mike Smith, senior vice president of AccuWeather Enterprise Solutions, "The storm will be potent enough to cause significant power failures from western Oklahoma to west-central Texas."
In this swath, a heavy amount of ice can accumulate on roads and build up on elevated surfaces from through Saturday.
Travel along portions of interstates 27, 35, 40 and 70 could be dangerous.
In some cases, roads may appear to be wet, but they may be covered with a clear, frozen glaze known as black ice.
Intermittent Rain to Dampen Part of East
Rain will take up only a small part of the long weekend for tens of millions of people in the Northeast.
Rain will push into the central Appalachians and part of the I-81 corridor during Friday and Friday night.
During Saturday into Sunday, a few hours of rain are possible in along I-95 from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C.
Most areas from Florida to the Carolinas will be free of rain through Sunday. This includes Atlanta, New Orleans, Orlando, Florida, and Charlotte, North Carolina.
An exception will be spotty showers along the Georgia and Florida Atlantic coasts.
West to Experience Fewest Travel Delays This Weekend
Snow will linger in parts of Colorado and north-central New Mexico, including the Denver area into Friday.

On Saturday, the snow will become intermittent in these areas, but it can expand farther north into Wyoming and farther west into Utah for a time.

Cities from Seattle to San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas and Phoenix should not experience direct weather-related travel delays from Thanksgiving Day through Sunday. Most days in these areas will feature sunshine.
However, throughout the nation, due to high volume and the weather over the Central states, sporadic indirect delays are possible. Some crews and aircraft may be displaced by the large storm.