Winter storms to challenge U.S. Thanksgiving travellers

Frigid weather and powerful winds are set to sweep across much of the United States through Thursday (Nov. 27) just as millions begin travelling for U.S. Thanksgiving.

Reports say the Upper Midwest could see as much as two feet of snow, and wind alerts affecting 52 million people stretch from the Plains through the Great Lakes and into the Appalachians — including major hubs like Chicago and Detroit — with gusts expected to reach up to 60 mph.

Blizzard warnings now cover 13 million people in northern Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, while lake-effect snow warnings are posted for areas east of lakes Erie and Ontario.

Heavy snow is already falling, and blizzard conditions are taking shape as a rush of cold air moves in behind the storm system.

Northern Wisconsin and northern Michigan could see as much as three feet of snow, while areas situated downwind of lakes Erie and Ontario may pick up around 20 inches.

To the south and east, rain will slowly transition to snow by U.S. Thanksgiving morning, with additional lake-effect snow bands developing through Friday, especially near the lower Great Lakes.

The Pacific Northwest — including cities like Seattle and Portland — will also contend with wet, snowy weather, reports say.

Gusty conditions on Thursday could also impact the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, with wind gusts near 35 mph likely forcing balloons to fly lower than usual.

By Friday morning, a surge of polar air will spill into the central and eastern U.S., bringing freezing temperatures as far south as the Florida Panhandle, though New England is expected to stay warmer than average for late November.

The Pacific Northwest, meanwhile, will see occasional mountain snow and lower-elevation rain as multiple Pacific disturbances move inland.

In southern Texas, early-morning thunderstorms on Thursday are expected to gradually weaken as a cold front continues its push southward.

In Canada, a large portion of Ontario, from the northern shoreline of Lake Superior to the border with western Quebec, is under a winter storm warning issued by Environment Canada.

The warning encompasses communities such as Thunder Bay, Timmins, Kapuskasing, and Moosonee.

Weather impacts U.S. travel

Weather is affecting air travel in the U.S. this week as flight delays climb.

According to the flight tracking website FlightAware, nearly 2,300 flights within the United States were delayed Wednesday afternoon.

Chicago O’Hare International Airport was placed under a ground stop Wednesday morning (Nov. 26) due to snow and ice, and Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport remained under a similar restriction.

Incoming flights to Chicago were seeing average delays of about 68 minutes because of the wintry conditions.

On Tuesday, operations in Atlanta also slowed significantly, and the air traffic control tower was briefly evacuated for 10 minutes amid concerns about a possible nearby tornado.

Reports say roughly 73 million people are expected to drive to their U.S. Thanksgiving destinations — about a million more than at this point last year.

That figure could climb higher if travellers choose to avoid flying because of potential disruptions linked to the now-resolved government shutdown.

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