Which states could see fresh snow?

Dreaming of a white Thanksgiving? People across the country are forecast to start the holiday season with cold temperatures and snowfall, which could cause travel delays this year.

“Depending on where you are this Thanksgiving, freezing your leftovers shouldn’t be a problem,” the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said in a post on X. “Be prepared for an inland arctic blast in wet weather .” in the East.”

A low pressure system will bring heavy snow to the Colorado Rockies Wednesday morning, according to the National Weather Service. Showers and thunderstorms will develop in the middle and lower Mississippi Valley, as well as the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys, during the afternoon, then expand and move toward the East Coast on Thanksgiving Day.

Light to moderate snowfall is expected across the Northeast. 4 to 8 inches of snow will fall across the northern Appalachians by Friday morning.

Which states are expected to see fresh snow on Thanksgiving?

According to the NWS, areas in the following states are expected to experience fresh snow over the holidays:

Idaho
Montana
Wyoming
North Dakota
South Dakota
Minnesota
Wisconsin
Michigan
Maine

Meanwhile, mixed precipitation is forecast Wednesday for more than a dozen states, from Arizona to the Plains and Great Lakes to Maine. Parts of Colorado experienced heavy snow ahead of the holidays.

Snow forecast map

The map below shows the likelihood that more than 10cm of snow could fall in an area. Use the slider in the top left to toggle between day and day.

Winter weather forecast map:See full version

Forecasts for the day after

Frighteningly cold air piped in directly from the Arctic will make an unwelcome appearance across nearly the entire eastern half of the country this weekend and early next week, forecasters said Monday, and the chill could linger for a while.

It is the first major outbreak in the Arctic this season and will hit the northern Rockies and northern Plains on Thanksgiving and Friday, the National Weather Service said. This weekend the cold will then move further south and east through much of the Plains and Midwest.

Areas in the Midwest and Northeast could experience heavy snow and dangerous cold starting Friday, according to the NWS. Areas from the western border of Texas to the southeastern coast of Virginia, including northern parts of Florida, could see freeze or freeze warnings through December 3rd.

Fresh snow is also forecast for Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois and Ohio on Friday.

Weather warnings and watches in the USA

National Weather Radar

Travel records are also in the forecast

Anything that blocks flights would come at a historically bad time.

Last week, the Transportation Security Administration said it was expecting its busiest Thanksgiving travel season ever and estimated its agents would screen 18.3 million people from Tuesday through Dec. 2. That would represent an increase of 6% compared to 2023.

Passenger traffic reached record highs in 2024; there has been a 17% increase since 2022, the TSA said in a statement. TSA Administrator David Pekoske said the 10 busiest travel days in TSA history all occurred in 2024, adding, “We expect this trend to continue.”

Low gas prices could lead to record trips

AAA projects that from Tuesday through Dec. 2, 79.9 million people will be 50 miles or more from their homes for Thanksgiving. That’s 1.7 million more travelers than last year and 2 million more than in 2019.

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