Christmas Travel Forecast: Rain and Snow Will Likely Cause Delays

Linda Lam
Published: December 18,2015
The weather may bring travel concerns to those traveling for Christmas in the week ahead. Rain and snow may cause both delays on the roads and in the air including both coasts of the U.S. heading toward the holiday.
The other big weather story for next week will be a return of the above-average temperatures to portions of the central and eastern U.S. Record warm temperatures are possible for both highs and lows next week.
(MORE: Warmest Christmas Week in Living Memory Possible in East, Midwest)
Low temperatures might not even drop to the freezing mark in the East for much of next week, limiting the chances for a white Christmas as the vast majority of the precipitation will fall as rain.
(MORE: White Christmas Forecast)
Scroll below for a day-by-day breakdown of where travel may be hindered due to weather as you travel to get to your Christmas destinations.

Saturday, December 19

Saturday's Forecast

Lake-effect snow showers are likely near the eastern Great Lakes and into portions of northern New England. Snow accumulation will generally be light with the exception of the Tug Hill region of New York, where over a foot of snow is possible. Otherwise, it will be breezy and cool through the Northeast.
Temperatures will be near average for this time of year in the South and most of the Midwest, and it will be dry as well. Warmer conditions will begin to develop in the Plains, where mostly sunny skies are expected.
Rain and snow will continue in portions of the West, mainly west of the Rockies, with the heaviest rainfall likely in central California and heavy snow in the Sierra.
Worst Air Travel Delays: Buffalo | Sacramento | Los Angeles
Worst Interstate Travel Delays:

• Interstate 5 from Seattle to Los Angeles (rain)
• Interstate 79 in Pennsylvania and West Virginia (snow showers)
• Interstate 84 from Boise to Portland, Oregon (rain and snow)
• Interstate 90 from Buffalo to Cleveland (snow showers)

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Sunday's Forecast

One disturbance will begin to push eastward towards the Plains, bringing snow to the Rockies, and a few light showers may develop from northeastern Texas to central Wisconsin. Showers will become more widespread overnight from Louisiana and eastern Texas to the Great Lakes, with a few snow showers possible in eastern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Above-average temperatures will also stretch from Texas to Michigan.
Another round of rain and snow will spread across the Pacific Northwest as a new storm will approach the Northwest coast. Elsewhere, the East will remain dry with temperatures in the 30s and 40s in the Northeast with 50s and 60s in the South and 70s toward the Gulf Coast and Florida.
Worst Air Travel Delays: Seattle | Portland | Salt Lake City
Worst Interstate Travel Delays:

• Interstate 5 from Washington to northern California (rain)
• Interstate 15 from central Utah to Idaho (snow showers)
• Interstate 55 from Mississippi to Illinois (rain showers overnight)
• Interstate 70 in western Colorado (snow)
• Interstate 90 from Seattle to Missoula, Montana (rain and snow)

Monday, December 21, 2015

Monday's Forecast

The storm system in the central U.S. will slowly push eastward into the Midwest. It will be too warm for snow, except for maybe portions of northern Wisconsin and northern Michigan. Otherwise, the chance for rain will be found from eastern Texas northeastwards into Pennsylvania and New York. A few thunderstorms may develop near the Gulf Coast from Texas to Alabama, but severe thunderstorms are not anticipated. Showers may reach the East coast overnight.
Rain and snow will remain in the forecast for the Pacific Northwest, with rain toward the coasts of northern California, Oregon and Washington, while snow will be found in the mountains. Locally heavy rain and snow is possible, especially in western Oregon.
High temperatures will be above average for most of the East and low temperatures will be warmer than average for the majority of the U.S.
Worst Air Travel Delays: Houston | Nashville | Chicago | San Francisco
Worst Interstate Travel Delays:

• Interstate 5 from Washington to northern California (rain)
• Interstate 10 from Florida to San Antonio, Texas (rain and thunderstorms)
• Interstate 65 from Alabama to Indiana (rain)
• Interstate 75 from northern Florida to Ohio (rain, mainly overnight)
• Interstate 90 from Washington to western Montana (rain and snow)

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Tuesday's Forecast

A stationary front will remain draped from northern New England through the Ohio Valley and into Texas. This will allow for the chance of showers from the Northeast to the South. Rainfall is not expected to be particularly heavy, but a few thunderstorms may develop from Florida to eastern Texas and into the Lower Mississippi Valley. An isolated severe thunderstorm is possible in eastern Texas and western Louisiana.
The parade of storms will keep rain and snow in the forecast for much of the Pacific Northwest and into parts of the Rockies. Otherwise, most of the Plains and Southwest will see mainly dry conditions.
The above-average temperatures will dominate the eastern half of the U.S. Highs will be up to 20 degrees warmer than average, with lows up to 30 degrees above average. Meanwhile, the West will see temperatures near average for late December.
Worst Air Travel Delays: New Orleans | Atlanta | New York | Seattle
Worst Interstate Travel Delays:

• Interstate 5 from Seattle to Sacramento (rain)
• Interstate 20 from South Carolina to Louisiana (rain, thunderstorms)
• Interstate 80 from Wyoming to California (snow and rain)
• Interstate 94 from Minnesota to Michigan (rain and snow)
• Interstate 95 from Miami to Boston (rain)

Wednesday, December 23

Wednesday's Forecast

Rain and thunderstorms will continue to make for wet travel for much of the East as an area of low pressure will move into the Midwest. An isolated severe thunderstorm may develop in southeastern Louisiana, southern Mississippi, and western Alabama. It may be cold enough for snow showers in Minnesota and northern Wisconsin.
A few rain and snow showers will linger from the Pacific Northwest into parts of the Rockies, but the precipitation is not expected to be as widespread as early in the week.
The other story is the warm temperatures. High will be 10 to 25 degrees warmer than average from the Plains to the East Coast with numerous record highs possible. It will be mild for most of the East with highs mainly in the 50s and 60s from Boston to Chicago and southward into the Mid-Atlantic and Ohio Valley. The South will see highs in the 70s and 80s.
Most of the West will be cool with highs mainly in the 40s and 50s, with 60s and 70s in the Southwest and temperatures will only reach the 20s in the higher elevations of the Inter-mountain West.
Worst Air Travel Delays: Philadelphia | Nashville | Chicago | Portland
Worst Interstate Travel Delays:

• Interstate 5 from Washington to northern California (rain)
• Interstate 10 from Florida to Houston (rain and thunderstorms)
• Interstate 70 in Colorado and Utah (snow)
• Interstate 90 from Boston to Madison, Wisconsin (rain) and from Minnesota to South Dakota (for snow)
• Interstate 95 from Maine to northern Florida (rain and thunderstorm in the Southeast)

Christmas Eve

Thursday's Forecast

An area of low pressure will slowly slide northeast with showers remaining from New England to the Gulf Coast. Temperatures will remain mild with lows more than 30 degrees above average in many locations in the East, which translates to lows in the 50s and 60s, with a few 40s in portions of New England. Record highs and warm low temperatures are likely once again.
The Midwest and Plains will see a dry Christmas Eve with highs 5 to 20 degrees warmer than average.
Another system will move into the West which will spread snow across much of the Pacific Northwest and into the Rockies, with heavy snow in the Sierra. Rain will fall in much of California and along the Oregon coast. High temperatures through the West will be near to slightly below average.
Worst Air Travel Delays: Boston | Miami | San Francisco | Seattle
Worst Interstate Travel Delays:

• Interstate 5 from Washington to southern California (rain)
• Interstate 20 from South Carolina to Louisiana (showers and thunderstorms)
• Interstate 80 from California to Wyoming (rain east of the Sierra, otherwise snow)
• Interstate 81 from Tennessee to Pennsylvania (rain showers)

Christmas Day

Friday's Forecast

A cold front will have pushed through the Northeast and a stationary front will remain across parts of the South. Showers and a few thunderstorms will remain possible in the South while drier weather will return to most of the Northeast. Slightly cooler temperatures are also expected in the Northeast, although temperatures will still be warmer than average from the central Plains to the East Coast.
An area of low pressure will continue moving through the West with snow showers possible from the northern Plains to western Colorado, Utah, Nevada and northern Arizona, with snow lingering in the Sierra. Rain showers are possible in California as well as Arizona. High temperatures will be cooler than average throughout the region.
Worst Air Travel Delays: Atlanta | Dallas-Fort Worth | Salt Lake City | San Diego
Worst Interstate Travel Delays:

• Interstate 5 in California (mainly rain)
• Interstate 20 from Atlanta to Dallas (showers and thunderstorms)
• Interstate 40 from Arizona to California (rain and snow)
• Interstate 94 from North Dakota to Montana (snow)

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