Americans travelling for the Thanksgiving holiday are being advised to plan ahead as heavy winds and snow are forecast to blast the Midwest and Northeast.
The Weather Prediction Center (WPC) says a significant storm is likely to develop on Sunday in the Midwest, and may be joined by a secondary weather system by the time it reaches the East Coast on Tuesday.
This could bring a wintry blast for airport hubs in Chicago and New York and cause delays on roads.
“The upper trough and a possible embedded low may support potentially significant low pressure that would affect portions of the East, and requires monitoring given the busy Thanksgiving holiday travel week,” the WPC said in a statement.
“It is too early to resolve detailed effects from low pressure that may be near the East Coast by next Tuesday, but significant rain/snow and strong winds could be possible.”
The AAA predicts more than 53m Americans will be travelling for the Thanksgiving holiday this year, up 13 per cent from last year.
That would bring travel volumes close to pre-pandemic levels.
Computer models suggest the storm will reach Minneapolis by Sunday night, Chicago and Pittsburgh on Monday, and Boston by Tuesday.
Temperatures will drop by up to 20 degrees F (6.7C) as the front passes.
On the bright side, there is low uncertainty about the forecast, and more will be known once computer models are re-run in the next few days.
