Thanksgiving weather map shows states expecting snow, rain and travel problems

Those saving their Thanksgiving travel for the day could encounter pitfalls on the roads in the eastern half of the country.

An updated forecast from AccuWeather shows expected weather impacts across the country as nearly 80 million Americans will travel for vacation, AAA reported. AccuWeather predicts “significant travel disruptions are expected for tens of millions” of travelers.

The busiest travel days are expected to be Tuesday and Wednesday, but for people who need to travel shorter distances, delaying travel until Thanksgiving morning could cause significant travel disruption.

Rain and thunderstorms are expected to hit much of the country from Louisiana northeast to Pennsylvania on Thursday, according to a map from AccuWeather, which could slow travelers. Further north, several inches of snow could cause disruptions across the Midwest and into the Northeast.

Although the bad weather could come after the busiest travel days, said AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tom Kines Newsweek that winter weather could still impact those who leave their trip to the last minute or have less than a few hours to drive to their destination.

National Weather Service (NWS) offices in affected regions are already issuing warnings of possible severe weather.

“The region will experience a mix of rain and snow from Wednesday into Wednesday night. While there will be little to no snow accumulation in most cases, there is a chance that a narrow band of snow somewhere north of I-70 could bring at least an inch of snow. “(30-40 percent chance),” the NWS said office in Lincoln, Illinois, in a severe weather outlook. “If this happens there could be a minor impact on travel.”

Even if people reach their destination safely on Turkey Day, a “significant” lake-effect snow event could impact travel in the Northeast as people return home on Friday or over the weekend.

“There is a potential for a significant lake effect snow event over an extended period. “There is considerable uncertainty regarding the exact placement and amount of bands, but multiple periods of heavy snowfall are possible,” NWS Buffalo warned in a winter storm warning. “Travel could be very difficult if not impossible due to very poor visibility and deep snow cover on the roads. Some major roads may be temporarily closed. The dangerous conditions could impact the travel season after Thanksgiving.”

Meanwhile, the recent atmospheric river that caused flooding across California earlier this week will have left the region, allowing travelers to the West to head home without weather disruptions.