Winter Weather Could Ruin Thanksgiving Travel Plans Across the Country

Big snow storms are headed for multiple parts of the U.S. this week, just in time for Thanksgiving. The timing could not be worse as many parts of the country prepare for their first winter storm of the season. There are a few things you want to keep an eye on as you make your travel plans for the holiday.

Thanksgiving is one of the biggest travel holidays in the U.S., and even at the best of times roads, airports and other forms of transit are pushed to the their limits. This year, things will be especially difficult as winter storms are expected in the Midwest, the north east and most of the west coast.

According to a report by Accuweather, the trouble will begin on Sunday in the Northeast. A big storm made its way north from Ohio late in the day on Saturday, already dropping snow and ice over Pennsylvania. Meteorologists say it will likely drop more precipitation over New Jersey, New York and New England, with rain dominating the coast and turning to ice and snow further inland.

In some areas, higher temperatures will turn this into slush, which will hopefully have a minimal effect on travel times. However, experts warn that roads will be slick in many areas, and travellers should use extreme caution wherever they are going.

That storm will move off into the Atlantic Ocean late on Sunday night, and hopefully the lingering effects will not impact travellers later in the week. In the meantime, another storm over the Midwest will rear its ugly head from Tuesday into Wednesday. The storm will reportedly gather over the Northwest before moving into the center of the country, lingering over Colorado, Wisconsin, Wyoming and Michigan just as drivers are trying to get to their destination for the holiday.

“The storm moving into Colorado will intensify east of the Rockies, bringing a mound of snow for southeastern Wyoming, northern Colorado and western Nebraska, into early Tuesday,” said AccuWeather Meteorologist Tyler Roys.

The site warns that interstate highways 25, 70, 76 and 80 will all get the worst of this storm.

Finally, the west coast will get a rare burst of precipitation, including plenty of snow from late Wednesday into Thanksgiving day. The Accuweather projections show rain along the coast from Portland, Oregon all the way down to the California-Mexico boarder, however, the possibility of snow lingers from just east of Los Angeles all the way out to Salt Lake City, Boise and other inland areas.

All in all, it will be an unusually difficult travel week around the U.S., and drivers are encouraged to proceed with caution. Hopefully, the trip back will be a little more relaxed.

Check back for updates on Thanksgiving travel advisories here on PopCulture.com.