
Americans are gearing up for the busiest travel time of the year as Thanksgiving Day approaches. Nearly 82 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles for Thanksgiving this year, an increase of 2% from last year’s record of 80.2 million, according to AAA’s projections.
Most of those Americans, 73.3 million, will travel to their Thanksgiving destination by car, while 6 million are expected to travel by plane. To help travelers keep an eye on any logistics, here’s what meteorologists are forecasting weather-wise.
While AAA expects Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon before Thanksgiving Day will be the busiest on the road, for any “early bird” travelers looking to get ahead of that traffic, here’s what the forecast will look like starting with this weekend.
Early Thanksgiving travel this weekend
Friday
This Friday is “potentially the worst” day for early Thanksgiving travel, according to the Weather Channel.
The Gulf Coast could experience some potential storms, while the Mississippi and Ohio valleys, as well as the Central Plains, could see heavy rainfall. The central Rockies could also see some lingering snow.
In the Northeast, inland New England and high elevations of the Green Mountains and White Mountains could get some wintry precipitation. Slippery, icy conditions could disrupt travel on some highways, as it’s not quite cold enough for snow.
For the West Coast, a storm system that’s pushing onshore from this week will bring rain and mountain snow to the Southwest.
The following airport hubs may be impacted this Friday due to weather, according to the Weather Channel: Atlanta, New York, Boston, Washington, Dallas, Los Angeles and Seattle.
Saturday
While there’s overall less precipitation forecast across the country, rain will still impact parts of the United States from eastern Texas up to Delaware, according to the Weather Channel. The southern Appalachian Mountains, near Tennessee and the Carolinas, could experience the heaviest rainfall, which could affect travel.
The weather starts to quiet down on the West Coast, with some lingering showers.
Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston and Seattle airports could be impacted, the Weather Channel reports.
Sunday
The Southern Rockies could see some rain and mountain snow, while light rain is possible across the southern Plains and Tennessee Valley. The Pacific Northwest could experience rain and mountain snow.
Week of Thanksgiving forecast
AccuWeather’s senior meteorologist Chad Merrill provided Yahoo with a national weather outlook for the week of Thanksgiving.
Western U.S.
Early in the week, cold air will push from the Northwest into the Rockies and bring snow and gusty winds.
By the end of the week, temperatures could drop by up to 20 degrees below average in the northern Rockies.
Thanksgiving Day could bring a “weak Santa Ana wind event” for Southern California, but the wildfire risk is low thanks to the recent rainfall, Merrill said.
Central U.S.
The Plains to the Midwest is forecast to experience rain and potential thunderstorms from early to midweek. This will be followed by strong winds and blustery weather.
Around Thanksgiving Day, temperatures will nose-dive in the entire region all the way down to the Texas Gulf Coast.
For the second half of the week, travelers heading home could experience issues north of I-70 because of snow and blowing snow, Merrill cautions.
Eastern U.S.
Early in the week in the Northeast, a cold front will bring breezy winds along with rain and snow showers.
Another storm is expected to arrive around Thanksgiving Day, bringing some rain to the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, while the Northeast could see some snow showers.
By the end of Thanksgiving weekend, expect rain and much colder temperatures, while the snow belts are expected to experience breezy winds and lake-effect snow.
LATEST POSTS
- 1
The Most Paramount Crossroads in Olympic History - 2
Pat Finn, actor from 'The Middle,' dies at 60 after bladder cancer diagnosis - 3
Manual for Tracking down One of a kind Store Inns - 4
Regeneron's experimental therapy combo effective in untreated cancer patients - 5
Putting pig organs in people is OK in the US, but growing human organs in pigs is not – why is that?
NASA astronauts take new moonsuit for a swim | Space photo of the day for Nov. 28, 2025
Defense Minister Katz moves to extend IDF service to 36 months
The most effective method to Examine a Cellular breakdown in the lungs Finding with Family
Trump said affordability is a ‘hoax’ in his Pennsylvania speech. What do the latest numbers show?
The most effective method to Distinguish the Best Material Organization in Your Space
Are your hormones imbalanced? Doctors explain how to know if you need testing
The newest 'Project Hail Mary' trailer shows Ryan Gosling befriending an alien in Phil Lord and Chris Miller's space epic
Toyota Motor Europe to roll out smart EV charging through new partnerships
Pocket-Accommodating Jeep Wrangler Buying Guide for Seniors













