Weather could prove dicey at best in some regions of the country going into and through the Thanksgiving weekend.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association’s short term forecast calls for a variety of weather events throughout the country and many state are issuing their own watches and warning.
NOAA states there is a pre-Thanksgiving to Thanksgiving Day storm to push from the Central Rockies, toward the Mid Mississippi Valley/Ohio Valley Wednesday and into the Northeast on Thursday while dry conditions on tap for the West coast after several days of wet weather.
Temperatures could prove to be much above average temperatures from the Southern Plains into the Gulf Coast on Wednesday, while much below average temperatures stretch across the Northern Plains, Great Basin and Central Rockies.
The NOAA states to look for heavy snows which will be concentrated primarily in the higher terrain of the Great Basin and Central Rockies from the Wasatch of Utah into the Rockies of Colorado.
As cold air sinks south in the lee of the Central Rockies light snowfall amounts may push eastward in the Central High Plains of Colorado and far western Kansas during Wednesday. This system will be primarily a rain producer on Wednesday from portions of the Central Plains ,mid Mississippi Valley, Ohio Valley and Southeast.
Rainfall totals of a quarter to a half inch will be much needed for drought stricken regions of the Southeast, while the Ohio and Mid Mississippi Valley remain the few areas of the lower 48 not in drought, but will also see moderate rainfall amounts, according to the NOAA.
Much needed rains will also be spreading eastward on Thanksgiving into the Mid Atlantic and the Northeast. The Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City likely to be wet and cold this year as rain overspreads the Northeast early Thursday. Across the interior northeast, accumulating snows are possible through the higher terrain areas from the Poconos of Pennsylvania, the Catskills and Adirondacks of New York, Berkshires of western Massachusetts, Green Mountains of Vermont and White Mountains of New Hampshire.
Pennsylvania officials have issued advisories for the holiday weekend as well.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), and Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PA Turnpike) came together to remind drivers to wear their seat belts, drive sober, and eliminate distractions behind the wheel.
Operation Safe Holiday kicked off on November 11 with the “Click It or Ticket” (CIOT) Thanksgiving Enforcement Mobilization running through December 1, according to a recent release.
“These enforcement efforts are not about tickets, they are about saving lives,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “PennDOT data shows seat belts save lives. Wearing your seat belt is your best defense against injury or death in the event of a crash. No matter how far you travel this year, buckle up!”
For much of the nation, the return trip from Thanksgiving will have much better travel conditions than the Wednesday to Thursday peak travel period. Temperature wise, much above average temperatures are likely from the Southern Plains into the Gulf Coast on Wednesday, while much below average temperatures expected from the Northern Plains into the Central Rockies and Great Basin. These cooler temperatures will be pushing south and east on Thanksgiving across much of the mid section of the nation and across the East by Friday. Below average temperatures also expected across much of the West over the next few days, but a warming trend expected by the weekend.
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
