Wednesday marks the busiest travel day of the Thanksgiving week, with millions taking to the skies and slick roadways to visit loved ones over the holiday.
But severe weather is already impacting plans, with blizzard conditions hitting the Midwest and Great Lakes states and storms in the Intermountain West making car travel hazardous. More than 1,000 flights were already delayed or canceled across the nation on Wednesday because of weather systems moving across the country.
Around 82 million people are on the move, with the busiest travel days expected today and on Sunday and Monday after the holiday.
At least 73 million – or nearly 90 percent of Thanksgiving travelers – are set to make their journeys by road, as six million take to the skies, according to AAA. This holiday travel period is slated to be the busiest in nearly 15 years, the Federal Aviation Administration warned.
“That number could end up being higher if some air travelers decide to drive instead of fly following recent flight cancellations,” the non-profit cautioned.
But there are some weather impacts across the nation that could hinder travel or make treks longer. Here is a look at what is happening in regions across the nation:
The South
After thunderstorms resulted in fallen trees and damaged homes in Texas and Alabama, the severe weather threat in the region has largely shifted away. That doesn’t mean the rain is completely gone.
Forecasters with the National Weather Service said lingering storms over southern Texas were expected to “gradually taper off” due to an approaching cold front.
Rain was anticipated to fall in Laredo and other areas of Texas close to the U.S.-Mexico border on Wednesday morning. Additional precipitation lingered over southern Georgia between Valdosta and Douglas.
The Midwest and Great Lakes
Nearly 90,000 American customers were left without power early Wednesday, with the majority in Wisconsin and Michigan, according to outage tracker PowerOutage.US.
Forecasters in Minnesota said that a weather system had the potential to dump up to nine inches of snow through later today.
“In life, it's said, timing is everything. And with an army of Minnesotans hitting the road for the Thanksgiving holiday, the approach of a fairly significant winter storm system is poor timing indeed,” KARE 11 said.
Officials at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport urged travelers to arrive earlier than normal due to the expected crowds, according to KSTP.
The Metropolitan Airports Commission expects to screen 441,000 people through security checkpoints between Thursday and December 1, according to CBS News, with the busiest days between today and Sunday.
Lower Michigan is set to see lake-effect snow on Thanksgiving, with up to a foot or more blowing between today and the morning.
Winter storm watches are in effect, and winds may gust up to 45 miles per hour, making travel dangerous.
“Snow will begin accumulating this afternoon through Friday morning. Travel conditions will deteriorate this afternoon and remain difficult into Thursday. Winds today of 40-60 mph may cause scattered power outages. Allow extra travel time if on the road this evening or Thursday!” forecasters in Grand Rapids pleaded.
As much as six inches of snow could fall in North Dakota. “If you’re planning on traveling Tuesday, be prepared for snow-covered roads and rapidly changing visibility due to falling and blowing snow,” Bismarck forecasters said.
North Dakota forecasters warned that more snow would fall over the weekend after 4.7 inches of powder dumped in the state on Tuesday.
“Another round of accumulating snowfall is expected Friday through early Saturday, with low to medium chances for snow totals to exceed two inches across much of western and central North Dakota,” the Bismarck National Weather Service Office wrote on social media. “If you’re traveling, make sure to stay updated on the forecast!”
In Chicago, forecasters advised travelers about blowing snow and strong wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour. More than 535 flights were already delayed at O’Hare airport by the late afternoon, according to the tracker FlightAware.
“Wind-whipped snow showers and flurries will accompany the winds, resulting in brief poor visibility,” the National Weather Service’s Chicago Office wrote.
The East
Rain was moving over Boston and the New England area Wednesday morning. Some scattered thunderstorms were also anticipated up and down the East Coast, with the arrival of a cold front.
The National Weather Service warned of possible thunderstorms over Charlotte, North Carolina.
“The cold front will bring periods of rain and gusty winds to the Northeast, which could cause some delays at major airport hubs in Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington, D.C., and New York City while some rain will linger across the Southeast and mid-Atlantic,” FOX Weather said.
AccuWeather forecasters said winds in New York City could reach up to 30mph, potentially affecting the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade’s main attraction: massive balloons that can span up to 100ft tall. The balloons don’t fly with sustained winds up to 23mph and gusts up to 35mph.
Low temperatures in Florida will approach freezing late Thursday and into the weekend, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.
The West
Lighter snowfall will wind down over Wyoming and Montana, with winter weather advisories issued across the states.
Farther west, a second system is anticipated to drench the Pacific Northwest, possibly leading to flooding in Washington state and Oregon.
"A flow of moisture from the Pacific will lead to periods of rain and travel delays along the I-5 corridor in Oregon and Washington through Thanksgiving,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bill Deger.
"This second storm won't officially be an atmospheric river, but it will cause some travel problems."
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