Post-Thanksgiving travel timeline: Where weather across the US could impact flights, roads through the weekend
If you’re hitting the road or catching a flight this weekend, you’re not alone. AAA expected the third-busiest Thanksgiving holiday since recordkeeping started in 2000.
What to expect from the weather for the travel home from Thanksgiving
Snow will gradually spread across the Plains with Kansas taking the brunt of it. The East and West coasts look great with mostly sunny skies expected. A few showers will again develop across Florida along with parts of Texas with negligible impacts to travel.
As millions of Americans pack up and travel home after the busy Thanksgiving holiday, FOX Weather keeps you ahead of the weather, eyeing snow issues in the Plains into the Great Lakes on Saturday, and some rain in the Southeast.
A Thanksgiving travel overview.
Saturday's travel forecast:
The FOX Forecast Center said moderate to heavy snowfall is expected in the Central Plains Saturday, moving across southwestern to northeastern Kansas. Predicted snowfall totals are 4-8 inches, including Wichita and Topeka.
(FOX Weather)
The snowfall will come with gusty winds, as well as heavy snow bands at rates of 1 inch per hour at times, which will create hazardous travel conditions.
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(FOX Weather)
Passengers heading to or from airports in the Midwest and West should keep an eye on potential delays as a snowstorm continues to push to the east.
Kansas City International Airport (MCI), Denver International Airport (DEN) and Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) could see impacts from the storm.
Saturday road travel
(FOX Weather)
The FOX Forecast Center expects snow to spread across the Plains with Kansas taking the brunt of that. Slick roadways, including interstates 70 and 35, appear increasingly likely and will cause minor to moderate impacts to post-Thanksgiving travel.
Both the east and west coasts look to be great weather-wise with mostly sunny skies expected.
A few showers may again develop across Florida along with parts of Texas with negligible impacts to travel.
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Sunday travel forecast
(FOX Weather)
The storm system currently impacting the Rockies and Plains will push farther to the east by Sunday and is expected to bring some snow and rain to the Midwest and Great Lakes region.
Because of that, some delays and cancelations are possible at airports such as Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) and Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD). Rain is also expected along the Gulf Coast, which could lead to issues at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) on Sunday.
Sunday road travel:
(FOX Weather)
Aside from light snow in the Great Lakes and around Chicago, light rain will break out from Texas through the mid-Atlantic ahead of a weak cold front, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
Rain could also lead to slower travel on the roads in the Southeast as well as through the Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio valleys on Sunday.