A powerful weather system stretching from coast to coast is throwing Thanksgiving travel plans into disarray for millions of Americans during what was predicted to be a record-breaking holiday period.
Meteorologists warn that this fast-moving storm will create travel chaos across multiple regions, beginning in the Southwest on Monday before rapidly progressing to the Midwest and eventually delivering a wintry blast to the Northeast by Wednesday.
Widespread Travel Disruption Begins
The storm's impact became immediately apparent on Monday when thunderstorms caused significant air travel problems in Texas. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport implemented morning ground delays that resulted in dozens of flight cancellations and more than 200 additional delays.
Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms moved through Western regions on Sunday, with further downpours expected to create travel headaches in the Pacific Northwest and across more than a dozen states in the Plains, stretching from Iowa to Texas.
AccuWeather's official holiday travel forecast for Monday declared conditions 'poor' in Washington, Idaho, Montana, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.
Storm Intensifies Through the Week
The situation is expected to deteriorate further as the week progresses. Cold air moving south from Canada threatens to deliver several inches of snow across northern US states including North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
AccuWeather meteorologist Reneé Duff stated: 'The Pacific Northwest could face some of the most severe impacts from the weather in the days leading up to Thanksgiving.'
Tuesday is predicted to be the storm's most disruptive day as it spreads heavy rain, gusty winds, and potential thunderstorms across a vast territory from the Gulf Coast to the Midwest. Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee are all expected to experience poor travel conditions.
The most severe headaches on Tuesday will likely involve soaking rain and strong wind gusts across the Midwest, potentially causing hundreds of flight delays at major transportation hubs including Chicago O'Hare, St Louis Lambert, and Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport.
Regional Impacts and Meteorological Causes
Further south, cities including Memphis, Little Rock, Tulsa, and Dallas will continue to experience rounds of heavy showers and thunderstorms, keeping roads hazardous and airports on high alert for additional ground delays.
In northern regions, a mixture of rain and wet snow is forecast across Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, and Michigan's Upper Peninsula, threatening to make major interstates including I-35, I-94, and I-69 particularly treacherous for road travellers.
AccuWeather lead long-range meteorologist Paul Pastelok added: 'The best chance of severe weather will be in the South Central and Southeastern states.'
Meteorologists explain that this extensive weather system originated when a strong dip in the jet stream over the West Coast collided with an 'atmospheric river' of deep moisture flowing from the tropical Pacific Ocean.
This collision created a powerful low-pressure system in the Southwest that's now racing eastward, pulling cold air from Canada on its northern side while drawing warm, humid air from the Gulf on its southern side. The dramatic temperature contrast between these air masses has fuelled the storm's energy, generating everything from severe thunderstorms in the South to heavy snowfall in the North.
With the system being super-charged by moisture from both the Pacific and the Gulf, forecasters warn that this storm contains sufficient fuel to continue causing widespread travel problems right through to Thanksgiving Day.
By Wednesday, the storm's core will shift eastward, bringing a messy combination of heavy rain, strong winds, and some snow to the Great Lakes and East Coast, potentially affecting travel from Maine to Florida.
Meteorologists predict that additional rainfall on Wednesday could severely disrupt driving conditions along the I-95 mega-corridor serving Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston.
Further west, the Midwest will still experience lingering rain turning to snow across lower Michigan, northern Indiana, northern Ohio, and western Pennsylvania, creating icy conditions on crucial routes including the Ohio Turnpike and Pennsylvania Turnpike.
The timing couldn't be worse, with the American Automobile Association (AAA) estimating that 81.8 million people planned to travel more than 50 miles from their homes this week to celebrate Thanksgiving with family or friends – setting a new travel record.
Once Thanksgiving concludes, temperatures are expected to remain frigid throughout most of the United States, with the National Weather Service predicting below-average temperatures from Ohio to Montana lasting through Sunday.
