Thanksgiving weather forecast maps show snow storms, winter cold fronts could cause travel chaos

A messy spell of winter weather continued to dominate forecasts Tuesday across the United States, with a mix of rain and snow expected to materialize in different areas around the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Storms could potentially impact travel plans, particularly for people in eastern parts of the country, while the Mountain West could feel the effects of an “Arctic blast” overnight Wednesday into Thursday.

Map of the Thanksgiving weather forecast for 2024

“A mix of rain and snow are possible across the eastern third of the country on Thanksgiving Day,” said CBS News meteorologist Nikki Nolan, who noted forecasting models were “reaching a consensus” by Tuesday and indicated the I-95 corridor, which runs along the East Coast from Miami to the Canadian border with Maine, would likely receive rain. Interior regions of the Northeast, like upstate New York, would likely see snow. 

Between 1 and 4 inches of snowfall could accumulate in those interior regions, Nolan said, while as much as a total 3 inches of rain could fall on affected areas. 

Temperatures are expected to drop across a majority of the U.S., with northern places like Minneapolis preparing for extreme cold. Chilly conditions will probably spare southeastern states, forecasts show.

Where will winter storms hit hardest for Thanksgiving?

Winter weather advisories were in place Tuesday for northern Michigan, where forecasters at the National Weather Service warned up to 6 inches of additional snowfall could accumulate in some places by the evening. Advisories were set to remain active through 7 p.m. in the local time zone.

“Expect the lake effect snowfall to pick up this afternoon when a stronger band moves onshore. Should the band remain onshore into tonight, the Winter Weather Advisory may need to be extended in time in the future,” states an alert issued early Tuesday morning by the weather service in Marquette, Michigan. Forecasters advised people to plan for “slippery road conditions and reduced visibility,” potentially during their morning and evening commutes.

Additional advisories were effective in parts of the Northeast on Tuesday afternoon. In Albany, New York, forecasts warned that “pockets of freezing rain” could create dangerous road conditions in the southern Adirondacks, Lake George and Saratoga regions, and southern Vermont before transitioning into normal rainfall Wednesday morning.

“Be aware of slippery roads and sidewalks during the morning commute or if traveling early for Thanksgiving,” states a message from the weather service in Albany. Freezing rain could potentially result in up to a tenth of an inch of ice, according to Nolan.

Farther west, a low-pressure weather system tied to the ongoing atmospheric river continued to shift inward from coastal areas, bringing with it rain and snow. The wintry weather prompted warnings in Nevada, as forecasters in Las Vegas predicted up to 14 inches of snow could fall in areas with higher elevation. 

Meanwhile, the threat of impending snowfall triggered a series of avalanche warnings in Colorado. Nolan said as much as 3 feet of snow could stack up in certain parts of the Colorado Rockies, with forecasts showing winds of 30-40 miles per hour could tear through the region along with the storms.

Will winter storms impact Thanksgiving travel?

Estimates suggest an unprecedented number of people will crowd roads and airports this week, as figures reported by AAA showed 80 million were expected to travel at least 50 miles over the next seven days. If the calculation hold up, it would set a new Thanksgiving record. Complicating the anticipated congestion is the major storm affecting huge sections of the U.S., from the western Rocky Mountains to the East Coast.

“We’ve been talking about it basically on repeat since Friday: storms on the West Coast, storms in the Northeast, and now a storm in the Mountain West,” said CBS News senior transportation correspondent Kris Van Cleave, reporting from LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York, on Tuesday. “So airports from San Francisco to Las Vegas, Salt Lake, Denver, and here in the Northeast, D.C. to Boston, could all see delays today as these various storm systems are moving around. A lot to watch.”

The Federal Aviation Administration said 50,000 flights were scheduled Tuesday, Van Cleave reported, noting the agency expects air travel to be even busier Wednesday and Sunday.

Where will it snow on Thanksgiving?

The storm system’s track was still somewhat uncertain Tuesday, but forecasters said below-average temperatures in the Northeast — especially in interior areas — could determine whether different locations in the region are hit with rain or snow. 

In the lead-up to Thanksgiving Day, forecasters at the Weather Prediction Center said heavy snow across the southern Sierra Nevada, Intermountain West and Central Rockies earlier in the week will be followed by snow showers across the Great Lakes that could result in up to 8 inches of snowfall by Thursday in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. 

As temperatures tick downward over the Northern Plains ahead of the holiday, the weather prediction center said a series of disturbances over the Central U.S. would “facilitate an arctic outbreak across the region” overnight Wednesday into Thanksgiving.