Millions of Americans are hitting the road and boarding planes for the Thanksgiving holiday, and — unlike earlier this week — the weather is mostly cooperating.
The storm brought bad weather to the central and eastern United States earlier this week, excluding parts of the Northeast. AccuWeather says the severe weather could continue into Wednesday afternoon.
Early travelers to New England could see the effects of weather in particular, According to AccuWeather. Up to 8 inches of snow is expected in parts of northern Maine and “warm” conditions could deepen in the Northeast, the National Weather Service said.
“By Thanksgiving morning, a low pressure area will most likely move off the East Coast, bringing clear skies in time for Thanksgiving festivities,” the weather service said.
Travelers out west should keep an eye out for winter storms around the Rockies. The weather service has issued a warning.
55 million passengers are expected
Relatively clear conditions are welcome across large parts of the country as more than 55 million people travel for the Thanksgiving holiday. American Automobile Association.
That’s up 2% from last year and the third-highest amount for Thanksgiving travel since 2000. AAA says most travelers will drive.
What is the weather forecast for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
Forecasters called for good weather for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. “7 out of 10” sunny to partly cloudy weather. AccuWeather Senior meteorologist Dave Domback said.
Temperatures during the parade are expected to be in the mid-40s, the weather service said. In addition, “expect northwest winds 10 to 15 mph in the early morning,” which will put wind chills in the upper 30s when the parade begins.
Winds won’t be strong enough to land the famous parade balloons, Dombeck said.
A murmur in the air
Americans across much of the country could see a nip in the air over the holiday and weekend as forecasters predict below-average temperatures. In the central and southern Plains, temperatures will be 10 to 20 degrees cooler than normal, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
For example, highs in Minneapolis by Friday will only be in the 20s, in the 30s in Kansas City and in the 40s in Oklahoma City, the weather service said.
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Blizzard for the Rockies
Elsewhere, the Rockies will see moderate to heavy snowfall Thursday and Friday, the weather service said. Much of Colorado and Utah is expected to see snow accumulations through Thanksgiving evening and the following morning, while parts of Wyoming could see up to a foot of snow by Friday evening.
AccuWeather “Snow is expected to begin in the northern Rockies on Thanksgiving, but will spread southeastward Friday and Saturday, covering most of the southern Rockies,” said meteorologist Emma Belsher.
The major aviation hub of Denver will see some snow, AccuWeather said, with the city possibly getting 2-4 inches. The weather service said the airport could see up to 3 inches on Thanksgiving Day.
In addition, mountain passes along Interstate 70 through Colorado may pick up snow, leading to slippery conditions, AccuWeather said.
I-95 closure in Philadelphia disrupts morning commute and holiday commute
Commuters in Philadelphia woke up to traffic delays Wednesday morning after a shooting that killed two people and injured five others Tuesday night shut down Interstate-95 near the Betsy Rose Bridge for at least four hours.
Keenan Hudson, a 34-year-old activist and musician from Philadelphia, told USA Today that he had planned to start a trip to New York to see family for Thanksgiving, but traffic turned him back.
Hudson said she was stuck in traffic for at least an hour after the closure. “It pushes all highway traffic to city traffic,” Hudson said. “It’s bad because it’s backed up with school and people getting out early.”
Allison Peret, 46, an anesthesiologist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, said her commute to work was an hour and 15 minutes, 35 minutes longer than usual. “We were sitting in dead-stop traffic,” he told USA TODAY.
“Every day is an adventure at ’95. Unfortunately, I’m used to it at this point,” Peret said. “But this morning was special.”
