How Winter Weather Could Impede New Year's Travel

New Year's Eve is already a perilous night for motorists, and winter weather could make the next few days even more difficult for travelers in some parts of the U.S.

Car crash fatalities jump on New Year's Eve, largely attributed to drunk driving accidents, and although the forecast is mostly clear, poor weather conditions this year could contribute to hazardous road conditions for holiday travelers in some areas.

Multiple states faced hazardous holiday travel over Christmas when a blustery winter storm brought blizzard conditions to Nebraska and South Dakota. The storm has moved eastward, with 12 states expecting snow over the weekend, including multiple states in the Midwest, northern Alabama and Georgia, and New York and Maine, as well as Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia.

However, much of the snow was expected to fall on Friday and Saturday, leaving Sunday through Tuesday mostly clear for travelers, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

"The outlook is rosy for most travelers at the start of 2024. A sprawling area of high pressure will keep most of the country dry," an NOAA report said Tuesday. "High temperatures are expected to be near or above average for much of the country through the first half of next week as Arctic air stays bottled up to the north."

However, the snow in northern Maine from Saturday may have "lingering effects" that "could impact travel into the New Year," NOAA public affairs specialist and meteorologist Erica Grow Cei told Newsweek, although major interstates in the region are unlikely to have any weather-related issues. She added that snow showers enhanced by the lake effect are likely for the Midwest on Sunday, with an inch of snow forecast in the Great Lakes region and 2 to 4 inches predicted in upstate New York and northern Wisconsin.

The NOAA report added that precipitation will be scarce, although showers are possible on Monday from the lower Mississippi Valley to the southern and central Appalachian mountains.

"Some snow is possible in higher mountain elevations, but since there's not much cold air in place, the majority of precipitation is likely to fall as rain. Looking ahead to Tuesday, the outlook is dry for most folks traveling east of the Rockies," the report said.

Rain showers are expected along the West Coast on Monday, with a threat of snow in the Cascades and the northern Sierras.

"However, the impact on travel should be low, as the snow is likely confined to elevations above the mountain passes and major interstates," NOAA reported.

Meanwhile, air travel could be interrupted by a low ceiling on Monday and Tuesday in and out of Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego.

"January 2nd could also be gusty at airport hubs along the East Coast, including Atlanta, Washington DC, and New York City," the report said.

More motorists are impacted by winter weather in the days leading up to the new year, with the National Weather Service issuing weather advisories for five states on Friday. Parts of Alaska, California, Maine, Nevada and Tennessee will be impacted by high wind, as well as snow and freezing rain that could reduce visibility in the early part of the weekend.