Thanksgiving Day is just a week away but lingering storms could impact Thanksgiving travel for millions of commuters and passengers across the United States. The awaited national holiday celebrated annually in the country could be met by weather hazards like torrential rain and heavy snow next week, according to the latest Thanksgiving weather outlook on Thursday, November 16.
Based on the current Thanksgiving weather forecast, a pair of storms could join forces in the eastern half of the nation next week, bringing not only heavy rain and snow but also gusty winds. This means that inclement weather could cause widespread disruption, including canceled or delayed flights, for pre-Thanksgiving travel. Individuals traveling by road could also face similar challenges from flooding due to excessive rain and whiteout conditions brought by thick snowfall.
Thanksgiving Travel Threat
The upcoming Thanksgiving holiday is estimated to involve approximately 55 million travelers who are expected to visit their loved ones, families, and friends or go elsewhere. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), 55.4 million Americans are expected to travel for Thanksgiving, an increase of 2.3% from 2022 and is the third highest number of travelers since the year 2000.
The AAA predicts these travelers will head 50 miles or more from their homes during the Thanksgiving holiday travel period, where around 49.1 million Americans will get behind the wheel and 4.7 million will take their flights. Furthermore, an estimated 1.55 million travelers will take the bus, train, or cruise ship during the holidays, the automobile association adds.
Thanksgiving Weather Forecast
The Thanksgiving weather forecast shows that a cross-country storm can disrupt the mentioned holiday plans for next week. One of the duo storms is a system that can move from the Central US to the East US ahead of the national holiday, complicating travel plans, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Alyssa Glenny. The second storm has been idle off the US Pacific coast but is expected to move eastward and impact the Lower 48 states ahead of the upcoming holiday.
In particular, heavy rainfall events are possible in the mid-Atlantic or Northeast regions on Wednesday, November 22. Other weather forecasters also predict that cooler air will envelop some areas in the eastern US next Wednesday and into Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 23.
Thanksgiving Day Climate
In the context of the previous Thanksgiving Day climate in the US, the country had experienced varying adverse weather conditions, wherein travel plans were also disrupted for thousands or millions of Americans.
In 2022, more than 2,500 flights to and from the US were delayed due to severe weather, marked by thunderstorms, heavy rain, and damaging winds. Meanwhile, dozens of flights were also canceled at last year's Thanksgiving.
Prior to the next week's holiday, a looming storm system in the form a tropical rainstorm has drenched South Florida over the past 24 hours. It is unclear if this system may last until Thanksgiving, but the National Hurricane Center (NHC) predicted it will impact the US East Coast and New England this weekend.
Related Article: Thanksgiving Weather in US: Rain, Snow Likely to Bring Travel Disruptions for 55 Million Travelers