Winter is strengthening its hold on most of the country, with several states issuing weather warnings this week due to concerns about hazardous conditions. Just days before Thanksgiving, reduced visibility and severe snow (up to 6 feet in some areas) are expected. The National Weather Service has also issued warnings for 13 states: Colorado, California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Vermont, Michigan, Alaska, New York, Idaho, Maine, New Hampshire, and New Mexico. Snow accumulations of 6 inches or more are likely in some places, with wind gusts up to 30 mph. Forecasters are unsure about the exact position and severity of snow bands, but the Weather Service predicts repeated periods of heavy snowfall. According to the Weather Service, the storm may cause travel disruptions following Thanksgiving. Travel conditions may become dangerous due to low visibility, thick snow on highways, and the possibility of major road closures.
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10:59 AM EST
Meteorologist advises Americans arrive at destination ‘by Wednesday night’: Exclusive
FOX Weather meteorologist Bob Van Dillen exclusively told Newsweek that it would be best that if traveling, Americans should arrive at their destination on the eve of Thanksgiving to avoid less than favorable weather conditions.
“My advice is to try and be at your destination by Wednesday night if you are on the East Coast because Thanksgiving morning will be breezy and wet. Going back home Sunday looks nice, except for the Lake Effect Snow belt up in New York, Pennsylvania and Michigan.”
10:44 AM EST
‘Dangerous wind chill temperatures’ expected this weekend
The National Weather Service has predicted that the first outbreak of Arctic temperatures will impact certain states beginning on Thanksgiving, with wind chills dipping to negative degrees in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest.
“A significant arctic outbreak will arrive in the northern Rockies and northern Plains on Thanksgiving into Friday and advance farther south and east through much of the Plains and Midwest this weekend,” a report said. “Dangerous wind chill temperatures are expected with a significant long duration lake effect snow event possible downwind of the Great Lakes. Severe thunderstorms may be possible in the Southeast.”
10:33 AM EST
Below normal temperatures expected over the next day
Substantial snow is forecast across sections of the Sierra Nevada, Great Lakes, and central Rockies, while temperatures in the Plains will be below normal today and Wednesday, according to a Tuesday morning report from the National Weather Service.
The Central U.S. is also predicted to suffer low temperatures today and tonight, perhaps causing an arctic outbreak across the area on Wednesday and Thursday.
10:23 AM EST
How winter storms form
Cars are covered in snow during a storm Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Soda Springs, Calif. (AP Photo/Brooke Hess-Homeier)
/Brooke Hess-Homeier/ap
A winter storm, like any other storm at any other time of year, requires the proper balance of components to form.
Three key elements are required to create a winter storm, as listed by the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory:
- Cold air. Below-freezing temperatures in the clouds and near the ground are necessary to make snow and/or ice.
- Lift. Something to raise the moist air to form the clouds and cause precipitation. An example of lift is warm air colliding with cold air and being forced to rise over the cold dome. The boundary between the warm and cold air masses is called a front. Another example of lift is air flowing up a mountainside.
- Moisture. To form clouds and precipitation. Air blowing across a body of water, such as a large lake or the ocean, is an excellent source of moisture.
10:05 AM EST
Weather could impact travel across southeast Ohio
The National Weather Service in Pocatello, Idaho shared how weather could impact travel across the southeast of the state.
09:54 AM EST
Wet roads could make Thanksgiving dinner ‘a pain’ for the East Coast
FOX Weather meteorologist Bob Van Dillen exclusively told Newsweek that although early Wednesday will be “pretty nice,” that won’t exactly be the case for Thanksgiving Thursday.
As of Wednesday night in the Ohio Valley area, a coastal storm will form into Thursday morning, blasting rain from the South to the Northeast Coast, Van Dillen said.
“Expect a good band of snow in the Mountains from Pennsylvania to New England, with wet roads along the I-95 corridor,” he told Newsweek. “It won’t be a storm like the one in ‘Plains, Trains and Automobiles’ but it will make travel to Thanksgiving dinner a pain for the East Coast.”
09:42 AM EST
What to expect on Wednesday
On Wednesday, one of the busiest travel days of the year, snow is forecast to accumulate over the Rocky Mountains from Colorado to New Mexico. Denver may awaken to several inches of snow, The Washington Post reports.
Light to moderate rain is anticipated to fall across Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Arkansas, northern Mississippi, and western Tennessee. Light, wet snow might form on the northern edge of this rain shield, perhaps falling across northern Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and southern Michigan.
That night, the storm system is predicted to develop when an Arctic air mass to the north interacts with a surge of warmer, moister air from the Gulf of Mexico.
This will likely provide unsettled weather on Wednesday night, with thunderstorms probable in the Southeast and rain moving across the Appalachians into the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
09:33 AM EST
Winter storm warning issued in 6 states ahead of arctic blast
A sign reading “Winter Driving Conditions Use Caution” greets drivers in Denver following a snowstorm on November 26, 2019. Colorado is one of at least six states where winter storm warnings were issued by the National Weather Service this week.
Joe Mahoney/Getty Images
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued winter storm warnings in six states as “heavy snow” is expected in large regions of the country.
Portions of California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, and Idaho were subjected to the warnings as of Monday night. The forecast looked particularly severe in Colorado, where an NWS map showed stormy weather blanketing most of the state. Several feet of snow was expected in some areas.
NWS warnings were released on Tuesday night for high elevations in Colorado’s eastern La Garita Mountains and eastern San Juan Mountains above 10,000 feet until 5 a.m. local time Thursday.
The eastern Sawatch Mountains and western Mosquito Range, above 11,000 feet and 9,000 feet, respectively, in western Chaffee County, were also warned, as up to 34 inches of snowfall is expected.
09:21 AM EST
Denver likely to see ‘travel delay impacts’: Exclusive
FOX Weather meteorologist Bob Van Dillen exclusively told Newsweek that some in Denver, Colorado are likely to “see some travel delay impacts” as a result of the atmospheric river that hit the West Coast.
However, travel in general “looks pretty nice” on the day before Thanksgiving.
“This year’s travel outlook for Thanksgiving looks pretty nice for Wednesday,” Van Dillen told Newsweek. “The huge atmospheric river that slammed the west coast still will have some punch into the Rockies, so Denver will see some travel delay impacts both on the roads and in the air. The rest of the country will see smooth sailing, initially. The problems start to occur on late Wednesday night with rain into the Ohio Valley.”
09:13 AM EST
Hefty rainfall coming to the East and Midwest
Heavy rain is expected in parts of the Midwest and East Coast through Thanksgiving, with snow possible in the Northeastern states. Heavy snowfall fell in northern Pennsylvania, especially the Pocono Mountains. Higher mountains recorded up to 17 inches (43 cm), with lower accumulations in valley communities such as Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. Around 35,000 consumers in 10 counties were without electricity, down from 80,000 a day earlier.
Nearly 10,000 residents in New York’s Catskills region were still without power Sunday morning, two days after a blizzard dropped heavy snow on sections of the area.
Precipitation in West Virginia helped alleviate the state’s worst drought in at least two decades, boosting ski resorts as they prepare to open in the coming weeks.
09:05 AM EST
Thanksgiving winter storm map shows 8 states with worst travel conditions
Poor travel conditions will be in place for eight states on Wednesday, which is expected to be one of the busiest holiday travel days leading up to Thanksgiving.
An updated forecast from AccuWeather shows the expected weather impacts across the nation as a record 71 million Americans are set to travel for the holiday, AAA reported.
The eight worst affected states are Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah.
AccuWeather forecasts that “significant travel disruptions are anticipated for tens of millions” of travelers.
A Newsweek map shows the eight states with poor travel conditions forecast for Wednesday.
08:56 AM EST
NWS Boston shares start and end times of rainfall
The National Weather Service in Boston has shared the estimated start and end times of the rainfall in the area.
It also confirmed that the conditions should improve in the evening hours today.
08:49 AM EST
Tuesday and Wednesday will likely see traffic that is ‘more than double what it typically is on a normal day’
Drivers should be aware that Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons are the worst times to travel by car, but roadways should be clear by Thanksgiving Day, according to transportation analytics company INRIX.
The optimum periods for motorists to return home are before 1 p.m. on Sunday, before 8 a.m., and after 7 p.m. on Monday, according to the company.
According to INRIX transportation researcher Bob Pishue, “traffic is expected to be more than double what it typically is on a normal day” in cities such as Boston, Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, and Washington.
08:36 AM EST
Winter weather advisory in effect for New England
A winter weather advisory is in force for areas of northern New England on Tuesday, with icy and snowy conditions serving as a preview of Thursday’s forecast Thanksgiving nor’easter.
The advisory is in force until 1 p.m. in parts of northern Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. The National Weather Service predicts mixed precipitation in those locations, including modest accumulations of snow, sleet, and ice.
“The hazardous conditions could impact the Tuesday morning commute,” the NWS said. “Slow down and use caution while traveling.”
08:25 AM EST
Thanksgiving winter storm forecast shows two possible scenarios
A person crossing the street in a snow storm, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, February 13, 2024. A brewing storm in the eastern United States could bring rain, snow, and wind during Thanksgiving week, potentially disrupting holiday travel and parades.
Matt Rourke/ASSOCIATED PRESS
A brewing storm in the eastern United States could bring rain, snow, and wind during Thanksgiving week, potentially disrupting holiday travel and parades.
Meteorologists for weather news website AccuWeather project two possible scenarios for the storm, which may impact the Midwest, Ohio Valley, and the Northeast through Black Friday.
- Stronger, Slower-Moving Storm
- Weaker, Southern-Tracking Storm
Read the full set of scenarios in this story by Flynn Nicholls on Newsweek.
08:17 AM EST
Sierra Nevada storm warning ends today
The National Weather Service office in Sacramento, California, has issued a winter storm warning for the Sierra Nevada through Tuesday, with heavy snow forecast at higher elevations and wind gusts up to 55 mph (88 kph).
Snowfall of about 4 feet was predicted, with the biggest accumulations expected Monday and Tuesday.
08:07 AM EST
‘Hard freeze’ headed toward the Southeast
A “hard freeze” is expected early next week across the Southeast, which includes southern Georgia, Alabama, and northern Florida, the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center reported.
08:04 AM EST
Traveling on Thanksgiving Day
The roads are expected to be jammed with a record number of 71.7 million people traveling by car over Thanksgiving.
The American Automobile Association (AAA) predicts that road travelers will surpass pre-pandemic numbers in 2019. There will be an additional 1.3 million travelers on the road compared with last year. Gas prices are also lower this Thanksgiving season compared with 2023.
“Thanksgiving is the busiest holiday for travel, and this year we’re expecting to set new records across the board, from driving to flying and cruising,” said Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel.
“Americans reconnect with family and friends over Thanksgiving, and travel is a big part of that. AAA continues to see travel demand soar post-pandemic with our members looking for new adventures and memorable vacations.”
08:01 AM EST
Winter weather warnings in 13 states 6 feet of snow to hit
Snow accumulates on a car during a snowstorm in this archive pictures taken on March 14, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado. The state is among those that have been hit with weather warnings this week.
Mark Makela/Getty Images
Winter is tightening its icy grip across much of the country, with a string of states slapped with weather warnings this week amid fears of treacherous conditions.
Reduced visibility and heavy snow—up to 6 feet of snow accumulation in some parts—are forecast just days away from Thanksgiving. And the National Weather Service has issued warnings for 13 states: Colorado, California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Vermont, Michigan, Alaska, New York, Idaho, Maine, New Hampshire and New Mexico.
It has been a tough winter so far for many Americans, who have been battered with a string of storms. Last week, two powerful weather systems combined forces, when an atmospheric river, or water vapor in the sky, and a bomb cyclone, namely a rapid drop in pressure, collided to whip up a fierce winter storm that saw those on higher ground pounded with snow. Newsweek has compiled experts’ safety tips for winter travelers because the hazardous conditions look set to continue, judging by this week’s forecast.
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