Nov. 23 (UPI) — Forecasters at the National Weather Service warned Saturday that “unsettled” weather could affect Thanksgiving travel in the eastern half of the United States, including the potential for the coldest temperatures of the season.
As millions of Americans hit the roads and airports, the best potential for moderate to heavy precipitation midweek is across the Tennessee and Lower Ohio valleys into the Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic, NWS forecasters said in their extended forecast discussion.
Meanwhile, winter precipitation is forecast for the northern plains and higher elevations in the west, where the Wasatch and central Rockies could be covered in heavy snow, up to 3 feet in the Sierra Nevada and 1 to 2 feet in the Colorado Rockies. .
East of the Rockies, Thanksgiving weather is likely to be cooler than average as a cold front of high pressure moves through the middle of the country, bringing some of the coldest temperatures this fall, forecasters said.
And along the East Coast, where the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade takes place, some forecasters are warning of the possibility of snow or rain on Thursday.
Cool temperatures, rain and gusty winds expected to hit the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic region could “prove to be challenging” for Thanksgiving viewing, according to Accuweather.
“The storm has the potential to shut down transit for those even traveling locally across parts of the Midwest and Northeast for Thanksgiving, and even those looking for Black Friday deals may experience travel issues,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Tyler Roys said in a post .
He added that strong winds accompanying the rough weather could create “dangerous conditions” for the giant balloons used in the parades.
“Clouds will increase with strong winds on Thanksgiving Day, but rain should hold off until the afternoon,” forecasters at WPIX-TV in New York said.