Thanksgiving weather forecast: 'Arctic outbreak' and snow storms complicate holiday travel

Much of Florida will see above-normal temperatures on Thanksgiving, but those will quickly vanish as the weekend approaches.

By late Sunday, the northern part of the Sunshine State is expected to see the coldest temperatures of the year, with some below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

On Monday morning, Jacksonville is forecast to see a temperature of 29 F. Tallahassee will start the day with a temperature of 28 F.

Read more from the Palm Beach Post.

Thanksgiving is expected to bring a mixture of rain and snow to several states in the Northeast, NBC News reported Wednesday.

Parts of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine are under winter storm warnings, and precipitation is expected to begin as early as 1 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Higher elevations, including area ski resorts, will see snowfall that could continue through 1 a.m. on Black Friday.

Parts of Maine and New Hampshire could see between 6 and 10 inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service.

Read more from NBC CT Weather Blog.

"The biggest November snowstorm to hit South Korea’s capital in more than a half century blanketed the capital on Wednesday, grounding hundreds of flights, disrupting commuter traffic and leaving at least two dead," the Associated Press reported.

According to Fox Weather, the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) said northern lights displays are possible in the northern reaches of the U.S.

"The SWPC rates solar storms on a five-level scale, with five being the most extreme and rarest space weather conditions. For this event, the SWPC issued a G1 (minor) Geomagnetic Storm Watch for Thursday and a G2 (moderate) watch for Friday when the arrival of the CME is expected," Fox Weather reported, using the acronym for coronal mass ejection.

One major caveat for potential aurora viewers, however, is whether incoming storms may block visibility.

It's a brisk, mostly sunny day in New York City, where preparations are underway for Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday. The weather is expected to turn, however, with wind and rain forecast for the main event.

The parade will happen rain or shine, Macy's said.

The National Weather Service is warning that "the first arctic outbreak of the season" will send temperatures falling across much of the eastern half of the United States starting on Thanksgiving or Friday.

Rain is forecast for New York City on Thursday, so people attending the iconic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade should plan accordingly.

ABC News reports:

A major tornado outbreak in 1992 in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. A massive 57 inches of snow dropped on Appalachia in 1950. In 1982, the first significant hurricane to strike Hawaii since its statehood.

Thanksgiving week is no stranger to wild weather, as USA Today documents here.

More recently, a so-called bomb cyclone struck northern California in 2019, and the frigid New York City temperatures in 2018 (as cold as 19 degrees Fahrenheit) forced attendees at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade to bundle up.

According to the flight-tracking website FlightAware, there were almost 1,400 flight delays in or out of the U.S. on Wednesday, with 28 cancellations as of 12 p.m. ET.

The numbers so far are modest compared to earlier in the week. On Tuesday, there were 4,832 U.S. delays and 82 cancellations. On Sunday and Monday there were over 4,400 U.S. delays each.

The Department of Transportation has a dashboard with guidance on various airlines' policies for passengers experiencing flight delays or cancellations.

The National Weather Service warned about storms across a wide swath of the Southeastern U.S. on Wednesday and Thursday, including a "marginal risk" for severe storms.

USA Today reports on where drivers this week will need to be concerned about potential road closures and delays:

There's also the drive back after the holiday. In Buffalo, the National Weather Service flagged that the surrounding region could face particularly harsh conditions from Friday morning to Monday morning.

"Travel could be very difficult to impossible with very poor visibility and deep snow cover on roads," it said in a notice Wednesday. "Some major roadways could temporarily close. The hazardous conditions could impact the post-Thanksgiving holiday travel period, especially along Interstate 90 from Hamburg to the Pennsylvania state line."

The National Weather Service announced Wednesday morning that thunderstorms and rainfall over the mid-Mississippi and Ohio Valley area will move to the Northeast tonight and Thanksgiving morning. Over on the West Coast, dryer conditions are expected following several days of wet weather, while temperatures will drop below average in the Great Plains and Mississippi Valley.

The heavy snowfall happening over the Colorado Rockies will end this morning, while 4 to 8 inches of snowfall are expected to land in the northern Appalachian Mountains by Friday.

Down in the South, today will be the last day of any above-average temperatures, with Texas experiencing high temperatures between 15 to 25 degrees above average.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground delay at New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) on Tuesday due in part to a staffing shortage of air traffic controllers.

On its website, the FAA said the average delay for departures from Newark was running 95 minutes. The delays were expected to last until 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

Delays have been common over the last week at the airport due to staffing shortages.

Between packed highways, crowded airports and possible weather delays, traveling during the holidays can be a stressful experience, and that's not counting the polarizing Thanksgiving dinner conversations and the strategizing on how to avoid your least favorite dishes.

The Associated Press has some handy tips for alleviating that stress, including:

• Stay hydrated

• Give yourself plenty of extra time at the airport

• Clean your house before you leave on your trip

For more holiday survival trips, check out the Associated Press.

Lake effect snow is expected to affect the Midwest and parts of the Northeast after Thanksgiving this weekend, according to AccuWeather meteorologists. But what exactly does that mean?

The National Weather Service describes a type of storm that occurs when cold air — usually from Canada — moves across the Great Lakes. As that cold air passes over the relatively warm lake waters, it creates clouds, which then produce 2 to 3 inches of snow per hour.

Lake effect snow storms are common across the Great Lakes area during fall and winter, so residents are likely familiar with experiencing heavy snowfall in one area while the sun is shining a mile or two away.

The National Weather Service continues to emphasize that the first arctic outbreak of this season will hit much of the Plains and the northern Midwest this week, with the "threat for heavy snow" continuing to increase for the area around the Great Lakes as well.

"Formidable lake-effect snow bands and snow showers will develop east and southeast of the Great Lakes, resulting in significant accumulation and drifting snow in the hardest hit areas," a Tuesday afternoon announcement reads.

The NWS also warned residents of those regions of the incoming arctic blast and snowfalls, describing them as an "abrupt change" from the otherwise record-setting warm autumn season they've experienced so far.

More than 2,000 flights within, into or out of the U.S. have been delayed today, according to FlightAware, a flight-tracking and data platform, with most of the delays being due to weather-related causes. Less than 100 flights within, into or out of the U.S. have been canceled today too.

FlightAware highlighted those airports that are dealing with the most delays:

• Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (42 delays)

• Denver International Airport (27 delays, 3 cancellations)

• Boston Logan International Airport (27 delays)

• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (23 delays)

• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (22 delays)

• John F. Kennedy International Airport (21 delays)

• Chicago O'Hare International Airport (20 delays)

• San Francisco International Airport (20 delays)

• Los Angeles International Airport (16 delays, 3 cancellations)

• Salt Lake City International Airport (14 delays)

Cold air coming directly from the Arctic is expected to hit the heartland of the U.S. this week — making it the first significant Arctic outbreak of the season. The National Weather Service anticipates the Arctic blast will arrive in the northern Rockies and northern Plains on Thanksgiving Day and then move farther south and east this weekend.

On Monday, the National Weather Service described the "Arctic blast" as "dangerous wind chills, lake effect snow and severe thunderstorms."

About 80 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles by car for Thanksgiving this week, the America Automobile Association reported.

The National Weather Service has come out with road safety tips for travelers in the states that will be impacted by snowy and slick roads leading up to the holiday — especially for areas that "could be very difficult to impossible," like the Sierra Nevada.

• Share your travel plans with friends or family.

• Get the weather forecast.

• Winterize your vehicle, using tips from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

• Check road conditions — state-by-state road condition sites here.

• Pack an emergency supply kit.

A record-breaking number of people are expected to travel in the United States on Thanksgiving week.

The Transportation Security Administration projects it will screen 18.3 million people at U.S. airports during a six-day stretch on Thanksgiving week, with the busiest travel day being the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

• Tuesday, Nov. 26: 2.8 million

• Wednesday, Nov. 27: 2.9 million

• Sunday, Dec. 1: 3 million

And AAA has a handy chart for the best and worst times to travel by car this week.

Airport security agents are expected to screen over 18 million people traveling for Thanksgiving during this week, with today, Wednesday and Sunday anticipated to be the busiest travel days, according to the Associated Press. The plan is for the Transportation Security Administration to have enough screeners to keep the general security lines under 30 minutes.

“This will be the busiest Thanksgiving ever in terms of air travel,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske told AP. “Fortunately, our staffing is also at the highest levels that they have ever been. We are ready.”

In a Tuesday morning update, the National Weather Service said that heavy snow is expected over parts of the Sierra Nevada, the Great Lakes and the central Rockies, while the Plains will experience below-average temperatures today and Wednesday.

The Central U.S. is also expected to experience low temperatures throughout today and tonight that could cause an arctic outbreak across the region throughout Wednesday and Thursday.

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in California and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in New Jersey are the top two airports listed on FlightAware's "misery map," due to delays for incoming flights to those destinations.

Some arriving flights into San Francisco are being delayed an average of 46 minutes due to "weather/wind," according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Meanwhile, air traffic control staffing issues are causing delays for flights destined for Newark, causing an average delay of 95 minutes.

The Transportation Security Administration expects this Thanksgiving to be the busiest ever in terms of air travel.

Photos show travelers bustling across U.S. airports — including Boston and Indianapolis — while others wait for their flight in Arlington, Va.

The first outbreak of Arctic temperatures will hit some states starting on Thanksgiving, with wind chills dropping to negative degrees in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest, the National Weather Service announced.

"Temperatures are likely to be the coldest since mid-late February in northern Plains and Midwest," the report said, "providing an abrupt change from the record, or near-record, warm autumn so far."

With the cold weather, travel disruptions are likely to happen in northeastern areas — specifically on I-90 between Cleveland and Buffalo, N.Y., and on I-81 north of Syracuse, N.Y.

There are currently no major storms forecast for the near future, but rain, wind and snow could snarl travel plans for Americans headed to the airport for the Thanksgiving holiday. Here's where travelers could see delays at major travel hubs, according to the Weather Channel:

Tuesday

• New York City: light rain, low clouds and wind

• Los Angeles: light rain

Wednesday

• Denver: light snow

• Chicago: low clouds and drizzle

• New York City: low clouds and rain later in the day

Thursday, Thanksgiving Day

• New York City: low clouds, rain and wind early in the day

Friday

• None expected at this time

Federal officials are warning that staffing shortages among air traffic controllers could result in travel delays during the Thanksgiving holiday.

“During the Thanksgiving travel period, we will use traffic flow management initiatives to deal with any staffing shortages on that particular day in this airspace, and we expect to have some of those shortages. So, we’re working diligently to make sure that that can operate as efficiently as possible,” FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said during a press conference last week at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Delays could be especially prevalent in the New York area, where the FAA has struggled to keep up with air traffic controller staffing demands, the Independent reported. More than 30 million Americans are expected to fly over the Thanksgiving holiday.

Last weekend, more than 400 flights were delayed in and out of Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey due largely to a lack of air traffic controllers.

“Staffing shortages at Air Traffic Control meant long delays for several days this week,” Clint Henderson, managing editor of the travel publication the Points Guy, said last week, according to the Bergen Record. “The Northeast airspace is super crowded and the ATC employees can be overwhelmed with the number of flights, especially when they don’t have enough workers.”

Most of those delays lasted roughly an hour, the FAA said.

The National Weather Service released the following update on early Monday afternoon:

Heavy snow is forecast over parts of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, upper Great Lakes and central Rockies. There is a slight risk of excessive rainfall and flash flooding through Tuesday for lower elevations of the southern Sierra Nevada. For higher elevations, heavy snow is forecast, with about 3 feet of snow expected to accumulate by Wednesday morning. Higher elevations could see as much as 6 feet of snow.

Parts of the Great Basin can expect snow showers, with 1 to 2 feet of snow expected in the Intermountain West and Colorado Rockies over the next few days.

Meanwhile, the Upper Midwest and lower Great Lakes region will see snow showers, with the upper peninsula of Michigan seeing several inches.

The Plains, Midwest and Great Lakes can expect below average temperatures, while south central and southeast Texas will experience record-high temperatures.

About 80 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles for Thanksgiving this week, most of them by car, according to the American Automobile Association.

Those travelers should get some relief at the pump since the average nationwide gas price — which has fallen 11.2 cents in the last month to $3.01 per gallon — is the lowest it's been since May 2021. National prices are also 23.7 cents lower compared to this time last year.

New York City-area forecasters are advising those planning to attend the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade to bring their rain gear. Rain is expected during Thursday's parade, but wind gusts are expected to be below 10 mph, according to New York’s NBC affiliate.

The massive parade balloons cannot fly if sustained winds exceed 23 mph or if wind gusts are above 34 mph.

A record-breaking number of people are expected to fly this holiday season, with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) projecting it will screen 18.3 million people during Thanksgiving week alone.

If you're one of the millions of people traveling during this busy time, here's a quick guide to what you should keep in mind — from when to expect a refund for a canceled flight to how to deal with potentially lost luggage.

When are you entitled to a flight refund?

According to the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) new “Automatic Refund” rule, you're entitled to a refund if:

• Your flight is canceled and the airline does not rebook you or you do not accept rebooking.

• Your flight is significantly changed and you do not accept the changed itinerary or any alternative compensation.

How do you get a refund for a canceled flight?

The new DOT policy changed the way passengers get refunds. Previously, passengers were responsible for navigating airline policies to determine whether they were entitled to a refund and then explicitly request one. Under the new rules, airlines must automatically provide refunds without passengers having to explicitly request them.

What if the airline loses your luggage?

Airlines are required by law to compensate passengers if their bags are damaged, delayed or lost.

If your baggage is significantly delayed (that is, not delivered within 12 hours of a domestic flight arriving at the gate, or 30 hours for international flights) you are entitled to a refund for a checked bag fee, according to the DOT.

Read more from Yahoo News: Canceled flights? Lost luggage? These are your rights as an air traveler this holiday season.

Hundreds of employees at Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina have gone on strike to protest what they claim are unlivable wages. The strike comes right before the airport's busiest travel season, with an estimated 1 million passengers departing this week.

Officials with the Service Employees International Union announced the strike in a statement Monday and said workers were demanding "an end to poverty wages and respect on the job during the holiday travel season." Union officials said the employees were earning between $12.50 and $19 an hour, WSMV4 reported.

Workers have argued that their salaries no longer cover their basic necessities, despite their hard work to keep planes clean and on schedule.

As Thanksgiving week kicks off, the National Weather Service shared a list of notable forecasts for Monday and Wednesday, when road and air travel are expected to break records.

• Heavy snow over parts of the Sierra Nevada mountains, upper Great Lakes and central Rockies.

• Below-average temperatures in the northern Plains.

• Above-average temperatures in the southern Plains and lower Mississippi Valley.

• Upper-level trough throughout central and Southern California.

• Flash flooding and mudsliding potential in the Sierra Nevada area.

• Heavy snow in the Great Basin, intermountain West and Colorado Rockies.

• Several inches of snow over the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the upper Midwest and the lower Great Lakes.

• Record high temperatures expected across southern Texas.

Days after a bomb cyclone took aim at the Pacific Northwest, killing two people and leaving behind widespread damage, an atmospheric river linked to that system continues to dump record-breaking rainfall on Northern California.

Some California locations have seen more than 20 inches of rain over the past three days, UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain said in a press briefing Friday, noting that those totals were “exceptional and record-breaking.”

“This storm is not over yet,” Swain added. “In fact, it is set to peak in certain places.”

The atmospheric river began drifting south Friday, bringing heavy rain to San Francisco. Downpours continued in Marin, Sonoma and Napa counties, where double-digit rainfall totals have already been observed.

The National Weather Service has issued flood warnings and watches throughout the northern portion of the state and more rain is expected over the next week.

The twin weather systems impacting the Pacific Northwest and the Northeast have left hundreds of thousands of people without power. According to PowerOutage.us, more than 100,000 customers were without power in northeast Pennsylvania and more than 36,000 in central New York early Friday afternoon as heavy snow knocked down trees and power lines.

In the Pacific Northwest, nearly 200,000 customers remain without power in Washington state in the wake of this week's bomb cyclone. In California, the number climbed to over 36,000.

States with the most power outages (as of 1:30 p.m. ET):

• Washington: 188,292

• Pennsylvania: 127,166

• New York: 36,689

• California: 15,502

Source: PowerOutage.us

A winter storm warning remains in effect today for portions of northeast Pennsylvania and central New York, where up to a foot of snow or more is possible in the higher elevations.

The National Weather Service in Binghamton, N.Y., said snow fell one-to-two inches fell per hour across western portions of the Catskills overnight, warning that "heavy snowfall could bring down trees and wires due to the weight of the snow."

"Totals will be highly elevation dependent," it added. "Accumulations of 1-4 inches in valley locations with totals of 6-12 inches above 1,500 feet. Totals of 12 to 16 inches in the highest elevations."

The atmospheric river thats wreaked havoc in the Pacific Northwest this week will "produce one last round of heavy rain/mountain snow and strong wind gusts" across the region Friday, the National Weather Service says.

According to its latest short-range forecast, three to five inches of additional rain is expected across portions of Northern California, with up to 10 inches of rain possible for the northern Sierra Nevada region.

In addition:

Temperatures for much of the U.S. will be below normal for this time of year from Nov. 29 through Dec. 5, according to the National Weather Service.

American Airlines is calling out passengers who try to budge in the boarding line. How would it work?

If a customer boards before their assigned boarding group and their ticket is scanned, the new software won't accept their boarding pass. It will also make an audible sound to alert the gate agent and customer that their group hasn't been called yet.

The technology is expanding to more than 100 airports across the U.S., just in time for the busy Thanksgiving holiday travel season.

Read more from WJZY: American Airlines adding new technology that calls out boarding line rule-breakers

Photos show the effects of heavy rains and wind due to a strong and lingering atmospheric river affecting Northern California.

Coastal areas of northwest California are expected to see "dangerous flooding" because of the ongoing atmospheric river conditions, according to the National Weather Service.

Venado, Calif., has seen 12.68 inches of rain, while 16.2 inches of snow have been reported in Mazama, Ore., meteorologists said.

Below are other snow, rain and wind totals resulting from the atmospheric river conditions in the region.

Weather could disrupt travel on the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving, which are some of the busier travel days of the holiday week.

"One storm over the eastern half of the country is forecast to spread rain and snow showers across the Great Lakes, while periods of rain dampen areas from the Ohio Valley southward into Arkansas and Tennessee," AccuWeather meteorologist Brian Lada said in an online forecast.

"Rain could then advance toward the major Northeast cities along the Interstate 95 corridor Wednesday."

Meanwhile, the weekend storm affecting the West Coast will push inland, bringing rain and snow in the mountains, including the Sierra and Rocky mountains.

Weather troubles may complicate an already busy Thanksgiving holiday travel week ahead, when an estimated 80 million Americans are expected to travel, according to AAA.

For those looking to get a head start on travel over the weekend, much of the U.S. will be dry, except for the West Coast and Northeast. From California to the Pacific Northwest, rain and mountain snow will extend eastward into the Rockies, according to Weather.com.

In the Northeast, travelers could see portions of rain and higher-elevation snow, which could affect air travel due to strong winds, so be prepared for some delays, USA Today reported.

More than 23 million people are under winter weather advisories, most of whom are in the eastern U.S. and Great Lakes region. This includes parts of New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, western Virginia, western North Carolina, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin.

Northern Pennsylvania and southern New York could see at least 6 inches of snow, while the mountains of West Virginia, Maryland and southwest Pennsylvania could see up to a foot of snow.

Eastern Wisconsin could see between 3 and 4 inches of snow, with wind gusts up to 40 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

Light snow could reach as far south as North Carolina.

Meanwhile, parts of the Northwest in Washington, Idaho and Montana are also under advisories where heavy snow is forecast through Sunday, according to the weather service.