At least three storms have the potential to cause trouble on the roads and airports across the United States as the Thanksgiving travel period kicks off this weekend and continues through the following weekend.
According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), more than 55 million travelers plan to travel at least 50 miles away from home from the Friday before Thanksgiving to the Sunday after Thanksgiving. The automobile association said the holiday travel volume is expected to be the second-highest behind 2005 since tracking began in 2000.
Meteorologists said a current storm path is projected to bring a cold mix this weekend to the Midwest and Northeast, before a more significant and possibly very disruptive storm for the central U.S. during the peak period of the Thanksgiving travel time.
The same hurricane forecasted to bring much-needed rainfall to part of California and the Southwest states at midweek and soaking rain to the South Central states late this week is seen to head toward the Midwest and East this weekend.
Lower Mississippi Valley to the Ohio Valley is likely to receive rain and a couple of thunderstorms from Friday to Saturday. Southern Atlantic Coast to the mid-Atlantic and southern New England will having rain and thunderstorms, too, from Saturday to Sunday.
Poor visibility to patchy fog and low cloud ceiling could likewise lead to airline delays at some of the major hubs from Atlanta to Boston, Cincinnati, New York City, Pittsburgh, and Washington, D.C.
A wintry mix and some snow could spread from portions of the central Plains Friday night to the middle Mississippi Valley Saturday and Great Lakes region by Saturday night during the storm's colder northwest flank.
The next cross-country storm, which will originate over the Gulf of Alaska this weekend, is expected to drop over the Northwest and northern Rockies early next week.
Snow will spread over the mountains of the inner Northwest, Northern Plains, and the northern Rockies from late Sunday to Monday while this new storm will bring rain showers to the Seattle and Portland areas.
Snowfall is likely to occur at to pass elevation levels with this storm, so motorists should anticipate delays as the storm moves in. The same Northwest storm is expected to regroup over the central and southern Rockies from Tuesday to Wednesday.
In terms of Thanksgiving travel, AAA said in its statement that there's "nothing worse than Wednesday." Trips made on Wednesday before Thanksgiving can be four times longer than usual, according to AAA, as commuters mix with holiday travelers.
Heavy snow and winterlike travel conditions with substantial delays for a nearly 1,000-mile stretch of the heartland are expected. Eastern Colorado and Northeastern New Mexico to parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan would experience wintry weather as Thanksgiving travel surges next Wednesday.
Heavy rain, gusty winds, and poor visibility could hit travel hard in the Southeast and the Northeast during the day and night before Thanksgiving if the major storm next week arrives earlier than forecasted. This far out, the track, strength and timing of each storm can change.