Cross-country storm stretches more than 1,500 miles as Thanksgiving travel woes continue

A powerful storm system is moving across the United States, bringing rain, high winds, snow and severe storms to more than 30 states.

The sprawling storm is expected to make travel difficult. Whether you’re one of the 55.4 million Americans traveling by road or air, you can count on the FOX Forecast Center to provide you with all the information you need before you embark on your trip.

Tuesday

Millions of travelers planning to cross the East for Thanksgiving could face disruptions due to widespread rain expected Tuesday.

A 1,545-mile storm system stretching from Florida to Maine will impact travel, according to the FOX Forecast Center.

Tuesday is expected to be the worst day to travel for Thanksgiving, and travelers are advised to take necessary precautions and check with their airlines for any updates or changes to their travel plans.

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“Earlier flights will be easier, and that’s usually what we see. But on this day, the weather plays a big role,” said Britta Merwin, FOX weather meteorologist. “The weather is going to be more difficult to manage, and it will also be more difficult to manage the crowds for the rest of the day.”

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As the main system moves toward the Ohio Valley, a secondary system from Canada will dip southward, providing an additional boost to the ongoing storm. This will allow snow to break out across the Great Lakes, with mostly rain elsewhere in the Northeast, the FOX Forecast Center said.

This storm originated in the Pacific Ocean, but due to limited cold air, any winter weather outside of the Great Lakes will only affect the higher elevations of the interior Northeast.

Along the Interstate 95 corridor, rain is expected to develop by Tuesday evening and continue through Wednesday morning. The rain will be heavy at times.

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Severe weather is also possible in the Southeast on Tuesday, but widespread, severe storms are not expected.

“We had stormy weather on the Gulf Coast yesterday (Monday),” Merwin said. “We will continue to see, unfortunately, that trend continues, I think.”

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Wednesday

As the storm system continues to move eastward, a secondary area of ​​low pressure will likely form along the East Coast near the Jersey Shore early Wednesday.

This new low will significantly increase the wind impact on coastal areas as it moves up the coast before heading out to sea, the FOX Forecast Center said.

Heavy rain is likely across most of the Interstate 95 corridor Wednesday morning, with clearing expected in the afternoon. New England could see lingering impacts as the low pressure system scrapes the coast, but the worst weather conditions are expected to dissipate by the evening.

Snow is also possible from the Adirondacks of New York to parts of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The snow will fall before the rain, so there may not be much accumulation due to rain falling after the snow falls, the FOX Forecast Center said.

Thanksgiving

Thursday is expected to be mostly dry across the country, with the main chance of rain concentrated in East Texas, Louisiana and parts of the northern Gulf Coast.

That’s not expected to have a huge impact, but it could put a damper on Thanksgiving, the FOX Forecast Center said.

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However, according to some computer forecast models, a potential downside to these rains is a weak area of ​​low pressure that could develop offshore, south of Louisiana. This could lead to periods of heavy rain in cities like New Orleans, Biloxi, Mississippi, and Mobile, Alabama, but it is still too early to determine the exact extent of the impacts.

Looking ahead, the next storm will begin to slide over the Rocky Mountains, bringing snow to Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. This could create difficult driving conditions for anyone traveling on Thanksgiving Day.

Black Friday

On Black Friday, the storm system over the Rockies will drop more snow on the region and also spread south into Utah and Colorado, including the Denver metro area. Snow could also extend further east into parts of the Central Plains.

Elsewhere in the country, a few rain showers are possible in parts of the south, while most other areas are expected to benefit from dry shopping weather.