Cold spell to grip parts of U.S. as millions travel for Thanksgiving
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The expected max temperatures in Fahrenheit on Nov. 23. Image: Pivotal Weather
It could be a colder-than-average Thanksgiving for millions of people across the U.S., as arctic air intrudes from Canada, according to the National Weather Service.
Driving the news: Beyond frigid temperatures, some parts of the country are expected to have a white Thanksgiving, with the cold front expected to bring snow to parts of the Northeast and Rockies in the next two days.
- By the holiday, a system that disrupted holiday travel for some as it moved across the U.S. earlier this week should have largely passed.
- As of Wednesday, storms from the system contributed to more than 10,000 delayed flights within, into or out of the U.S. so far this week, according to FlightAware data.
Wednesday outlook:
Temperatures may be above average across the northern U.S, the NWS said.
- The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) estimated that 2.7 million people are expected to board flights on Wednesday.
Northeast: Snow will likely hit northern New England and northern Maine.
- Up to 8 inches of snow could accumulate in portions of northern Maine.
East Coast: Storms may linger over the East Coast on Wednesday but should taper off as the system from earlier this week system moves over the Atlantic Ocean.
- A marginal tornado threat is present across eastern North Carolina and the Outer Banks but no tornado watch is expected, the NWS Storm Prediction Center said.
Rockies: A snow event will likely form over the northern Rockies from a system moving in from the Pacific Northwest merging with arctic air dropping down from the Canadian high plains.
- The system was projected to bring snow to Idaho and western Montana on Wednesday before moving southeastward.
Pacific Northwest: The region could see rain and thunderstorms.
Thanksgiving forecast:
Northeast: Much of the Northeast will still be experiencing "blustery" conditions on the holiday, per the NWS.
- Snow could also resume over the interior of New England by the evening.
Rockies: People in the northern and central Rockies, particularly in Wyoming, are forecast to have a white Thanksgiving.
Beyond Thursday:
Below-average temperatures are forecast to persist for most of the country, except for Southern Florida and the West Coast.
- Sunday is expected to be the busiest day at airports, with TSA projecting 2.9 million passengers that day.
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