In brief
Record travel impacts amid dangerously cold temperatures make for a challenging Thanksgiving.
As Thanksgiving festivities approach, the US braces for a major "Arctic outbreak," disrupting one of the busiest travel times of the year. The National Weather Service warns of "dangerously cold wind chills" expected to sweep over parts of the northern Plains on Thursday. Meanwhile, New England and the northeastern states face heavy snowfall, potentially impacting travel plans for thousands. On Wednesday alone, tracking site FlightAware reported over 4,500 flight delays and 61 cancellations due to bad weather. Looking ahead, Thursday's snow is likely to affect areas like Maine, New York, and the northern Appalachians, while thunderstorms are predicted for Georgia and the Carolinas. This volatile weather isn’t expected to ease up; by Friday, stormy conditions will likely move into the Midwest, bringing with them lake-effect snow from the Great Lakes region. Some locations may see accumulations up to 8 inches! Travel agencies are anticipating a record number of travelers this Thanksgiving, with almost 9 million expected to pass through airports on the busiest travel days alone. The TSA also notes a significant uptick in road travel, with nearly 80 million Americans projected to journey at least 50 miles away from home—a surge attributed to lower gas prices. Across the country, the Pacific Northwest and California are experiencing their own weather woes, with warnings for dense fog and freezing conditions. As communities work to recover from earlier weather events, including a bomb cyclone last week, the combination of inclement conditions and high travel volumes poses serious challenges for holiday plans.
