Stormy Weather Threatens Thanksgiving Travel Plans

As airlines prepare for what is predicted to be the busiest Thanksgiving ever and even more Americans get set to to hit the road for the long holiday weekend, stormy weather could upend plans for tens of millions.

According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), more than 10 million people have already passed through checkpoints since Thursday, surpassing the pre-pandemic numbers from 2019. Furthermore, Wednesday alone is expected to see nearly 50,000 flights. To accommodate the increased air traffic, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is opening up extra airspace along the East Coast that is typically reserved for the military.

However, travelers in the South may face significant disruptions as dangerous storms move through Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama on Monday night and Tuesday. The storms could bring the possibility of tornadoes and golf ball-sized hail, warns meteorologist Chris Warren from The Weather Channel.

As the storms progress through the Ohio Valley, they will also bring heavy rain from Detroit to Nashville and along the Gulf Coast.

Severe Weather Expected to Impact Thanksgiving Travel

As Thanksgiving approaches, travelers in the United States are bracing for severe weather conditions that could disrupt their plans. A powerful storm system is set to move across the country, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to several regions.

The storm system is expected to first hit the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions just before Thanksgiving. Meteorologists are predicting gusty winds and heavy rain, with the worst of the weather occurring late Tuesday and early Wednesday morning.

In some areas of higher elevation in the Northeast, there may also be some snowfall, with accumulations of 1-3 inches. However, most of the snow is expected to be compacted down and melted by the rain on Wednesday, according to meteorologists.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized that efforts will be made to minimize cancellations and delays caused by the weather. "While we can't control the weather, we will also be using every tool at our disposal to keep cancellations and delays as low as possible in the first place, including working collaboratively with the airlines," said Buttigieg.

In addition to air travel, railways are also expected to be affected. Amtrak's high-speed Acela service between Boston, New York, and Washington, D.C., is anticipating a 25% increase in ridership. Amtrak president Roger Harris stated that the company is preparing for approximately 125,000 customers per day throughout Thanksgiving week.